Evening journal., 1917-01-15
The Entente Answer
(From The New York Trlbune.)

map Of Europe with anything but
contempt and defiance.
So long as the Entente Govern
ments and peoples remain in their
present frame OF mind there can be
no thought of the sort Of peace which
Germany contemplated when she
made her recent peace offer. The
war must 80 on until the present
Entente mood OF heroc confidence
changes TO one Of war WEAKNESS -
OF depression over military difficult
ties which seem TO make the realiza-
ton of all the Entente's far-reaching
aims impossible.
Sympathizing, as we do, with the
general purposes Of the Entente-be-
levhg its cause to be just and its
battle 70 he @ battle fol civilization. r
we canno. but applaud the high sp rit
and uncompromiUug divectness of its
refusal tc enter at this time on peace
negotiations from which Germany
would be the one power most sure to
profit
Many Americans are deeply inn
pressed with the waste and sacrifice
OF the war They think it a species
Of madness and would be glad to see
the slaughter ended, on any terms.
But the Entente peoples, who are
closer TO tie suffering and horror of
the war than we are, see more clear
: ~ into the heart of the war problem
! than we do. They know what the war
( problem means to them and how
much depends on its outcome. They
are fighting not alone for their own
safety. but for the safety OF their
children and grandchildren They
feel that a new and better world
order is to be built upon their sufer-
ings and sacrifices.
They may be r-sanguine as to
their ability to crush Germany sufh'
ciently to secure all the guarantees
for the future which they have In
view. But they are entitled to their
try. They are entitled to the respect
and good will OF the neutrals in theil
uphill fight; for we neutrals, too
have a stake in the shattering OF the
German dream Of world conquest ant
the ideal OF militaristic aggrandize
ment
With the best OF intentions. bu
with faulty judgment. President vii
son appealed to the two sets of bel
ligerents to seek an accommodation
OF their differences at a time whel
such an adjustment could not but b'
greatly to the advantage of ont
group and greatly to the disadvantage
of the other group. He may hav
thaught that the Entente Allies wer
losing faith and hope. If he did, h
was wrong, and the answer the
: have sent him must thoroughly dis
abuse the minds Of all neutrals Of
that point
There are passages in the not
which have a distinctly ironical fla
, vor. The Entente Powers absolv
the President OF any intention of as
sociating his appeal with Won Beth
mann-Hollweg peace offer The
1 absolve him also from any intentio
Of establishing a similarity Of aim
and objects on the part Of the tw
? warning groups. But one does nc
rave to read between the lines {
| he note to recognize that the Pres
dents peace appeal was dispatche
so far as the Entente nations al
; IcOncerned-at a very inopportur
sand infelicitous moment.
Q The time for peace in Europe hs
u not yet come. II cannot come unit
y the Entente Allies have made the
y final effort to alter the military sitl
q alton. They will not quit now Q
l. Germany's terms. Nor will German
quit on their terms. Nothing in n
= way OF an agreement will be poss
e BILE until one side establishes a maj
+ fest superiority or both sides agr,
/. to strike a truce through mere e,
u haustion.
Efforts on the part OF the Unit,
u States to force a premature settl
= ment should cease. They can ha'
u no value under existing circur
- stances. Peace must wait until d
= combatants really want peace and
- not greatly care what price they pl
for IT, That is the one conclusi'
! which the American people will drs
y, and which our Government shou
"a draw-from the Entente's answer