New-York tribune., 1917-12-26
The Congress of Brest-Litovsk


be made by the Germans to capitalize the
Congress Of Brest-Litovsk for their own
peace propaganda purposes, its chief value
and interest for the world lies in the fact
that It furnishes a good index Of things
as they are at the moment in the World
War 1t might have a further use if it
enabled the American public to avoid a
great deal Of unnecessary alarm, due to the
succession Of unduly disturbing and over
optimistic bulletins which continue to
reach it from public men Of various couh-
tries.
The Congress Of Brest-Litovsk is a con-
crete evidence of the fact that the Ger
mans have on the present showing won
the war in the East, but by the same
token it discloses the fact that Germany
has lost the war on the sea and in the
West and is seeking her profit in Poland,
not in Belgium; in the Balkans, not in
frenCn Lorraine.
Peace made by negotiation between
Germany and the Western Powers now
would amount to a transaction based upon
the possession by Germany Of Belgium and
a small portion Of France and by the
enemies of Germany Of all Germany's
colonies and the power to continue the
paralysis Of Germany's sea-borne COM
merce Despite all contemporary con-
fusion and excitement, the real question
in the West is not whether Germany will
win the war by crushing France and Brit
ain before the United States can get up,
but whether she will be able by infictiug
more heavy casualties 20 persuade them
TO abandon their fight for q general Euro
pean settlement before we can arrive on
the battle line.
What Germany is now after is 10 get
peace in the West on the basis of the stu
alton Of August, 1914. This is the maxi
mum Of her hope with reference TO
France and Great Britain. She expects
to sacrifice certain Of her colonies. She
may even think Of possible indemnities to
Belgium, but her main objectves now are
in the East and in the Balkans Her
efforts to dominate the world by crushing
France and getting at Great Britain have
been, for TIE time being at least, laid aside.
They are detectives for "next time" not
for the balance Of this war.
The Congress Of Brest-Litovsk will put
in definite form the fruits Of German
victory in the Fast The frontiers and the
arrangements made at this Congress may
prove permanent, may last for a. num-
Der Of years, unless Allied purpose to fight
until real settlement is attained endures
through the next two years. II the terms
agreed upon at Brest-Litovsk stand, Ger
many will in all probability dominate all
Central Europe and Western Asia. She
will be a menace TO the peace of the world
and II will be necessary for the Western
nations, including the United States, 10
keep huge standing armies and bear tho
great burden Of armed peace. If the
arrangements made at Brest-Ltovsk are
abolished by subsequent Allied victories
in the West, we may have yet a real peace,
a general settlement and an escape from
world in arms.
The integrity Of France and indepen-
denee Of Belgium, the safety Of the Brit
ish Empire, these questions were settled
at the Marne at Verdun and by the fail
ure Of the German submarine campaign.
Even Italy, defeated as she now obviously
is, faces no threat of mutilation. The
highest price she may have to pay is the
extinction Of her hope to reclaim Trieste
and the Trentino and thus complete the
unifcation Of the Italian people.
The Western world knows very little
about Eastern European conditions. Ii
knows very little about Balkan conditions
II is war weary, and the French and Brit
ish publies clearly perceive now that the
integrity Of France and Great Britain
and for that matter of Belgium, is as
slred. They perceive that Germanys as
sault upon the Western world has failed
and that, despite all the boasting and