New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-09-04
Time to Stop Talking Peace

NOW llldl lNSANNAA' " 'A'N'-
has replied to the peace proposal of the
Pope, the time has come for all Of us to
drop peace talk and turn to war work.
There are two reasons why it is foolish
and futile to talk about peace now. The
first is that there is no prospect of peace
within the next twelve months. The de-
cision Of the President infallibly points
toward a military campaign in 1918 and
a military decision growing out OF this
campaign. The things that Mr.. Wilson
rightly demands as the basis of peace Will
not be conceded either by the German gov
eminent or the German people, in the
present situation in Europe. 1t would
therefore be merely puerile illusion to
continue discussion Of peace when peace
for many months is quite impossible,
There is a second reason. In every
quarter of the world German agents and
German synpathizers are busy dissent
mating the idea that the war is over and
peace is at hand, for the purpose of weak
ening the arms Of those governments who
are pursuing the war. The German rea-
sons that a nation which believes peace is
at hand will make less effort in its fight
ing, and this relaxed effort-as in the
case Of Russia-wiI benefit a Germany
which is still increasing, not slackening,
its war effort. Thus, everywhere in the
world We see to-day the spectacle Of the
German at work talking peace.
The only way to attain peace now in
this world is to fight for it. Some Of the
greatest battles of the war unquestiona-
, bly, remain to be fought. Between now
and the autumn of 1918 a German cas-
ualty list Of two millions will be larger
contribution to permanent peace than any
thing that one can now see, because it
will be a final demonstration to the Ger
man people of the price Of their present
leadership and the cost to them Of the
doctrines which they have embraced and
followed for the last half century.
What is demanded by Mr.. Wilson Of
the German people is that they should put
away the ambitions which have been nour-
ished and cherished ever since the unfit
cation Of Germany started the Hohenzol-
leIns on their career of world ambition
and world empire. Peace based upon the
status quo ante of 1914 would be a peace
which would leave Germany, with refer
ence to the rest of the world, in a condi-
ton comparable to that which existed in
! France when the long wars Of Louis XIV
N were over and France, intact but econom-
ically ruined, entered the pathway that
was to lead to the French Revolution. And
Mr.. Wilson's message TO the Pope indi-
Gates that Germany must suffer not mere
" that defeat incident to a return Of the
status quo ante but further defeat in
ci6ent to the surrender of certain terri
tories and to the final extinction Of that
dream Of a Berlin-to- Bagdad Mittel-
europa.
To talk of peace now when peace is pos
sible only on terms which mean a tremen-
dous and tragic German defeat, whether
obtained on the battlefield or round the
green table, is to talk of something that
is still remote 1t is a rude and griev-
Gus task which lies ahead of US. The
German assault upon our civilization has
been parried and halted. The German
armies are retreating now; the German
food tide of conquest has long ago passed;
it is ebb tide wherever the German inva-
sion has reached; but it is long way
from dead low water. Mr.. Wilson was
exactly right when he spoke of Germany
as baked but not defeated. To defeat
The Germans will prove most difficult
task, certain now as that defeat is.
And it is only by sending hundreds of
thousands of American troops to France
that we shall insure that defeat. We are
doing this The country has indicated its
readiness to make every sacrifice. 1t is
responding to the calls Of war as nobody
could have foreseen that it would respond
And since the work is to be done, since
victory is still TO be won by the sword
since great sacrifices for America are not
only 10 be made but are essential to the