The Washington herald., 1918-08-13
The Defeatists.

2 Certain persons are apprehensve that a de-
sisive for Germany before the end of the
1918 campaign will lead to such cunning and
poisonous peace offensive on her part that the
allied nations will succumb before it.
The New York Tribune states the idea clearly
when it says that only now, just now victory has
ceased to be idea, and become, instead feel
ing, national intuition"
O.. We think the Tribune has not grasped fully
the fixed idea that has become the American war
purpose since last March-that nothing less than
victory would be acceptable to us, France, or
Great Britain However, the Tribune goes to
say: "Only now for the first time is there pre-
montion OF defeat in Germany These two
momentous psychological facts. Their bearing
upon the physical outcome is vital Apart from
all material factors, people achieve victory
by thinking it. On the other hand, people cannot
be beaten physically until the spirit accepts defeat
Perhaps the difference can be made clearer
still-and wish make it very clear. If a
peace conference had begun four weeks ago, it
would have been possible for the Germans to have
laid the table the hlthiest sword that was ever
known and say: Remember, that is invincible.'
And the CHASTITY boast must have gone unanswered
Victory impossible until the myth of the Huns
invincibity had been defeated on the field. This
has happened only now-just now. The difference
it makes is elemental
Yet here is a book by Walter E. Weyl called
The End of the War; which is written to prove
that since the day got into the war, and
especially in the period between April and Octo-
Der, 1917, before we had an army over there)
have been throwing away golden opportunities
to make peace the basis of internationasm
and democracy The postscript to this book was
written while Ludendorf in Pcardy was driving
the frontier OF democracy back in the supreme
effort to gain decisive military victory, and it
contains statement of assumption and purpose.
The assumption of the book is that the allies
can hold their own
"And the purpose of the book is to appeal to
America to assume leadership in diplomacy, to
eliminate imperialistic elements from the demands
of our allies and to attempt settlement based on
nternationalism'
"Mr. Weyl could imagine German invincibilty;
he could not imagine miracle to happen on the
side of right Since he wrote his timorous assump-
tions his own country has sent enough in to
turn the tide of battle, Ludendorfs offensive has
collapsed, German morale has been deeply shaken,
and Picardy has been the scene of Germanys
greatest single military humiliation"
The Tribune then goes on to assa this as
"the New Republic type OF thinking" and calls Mr..
Weyl himself "defeatist" So far as any doctrine
tends to leave the Prussian idea living factor in
the world instead of exterminating it, we agree
thoroughly with this journal We are against de
featist" sophstry in every sense of the word; but
the Tribune must guard against pure fanaticism in
war spirit-for President Wilson, Mr.. Balfour, and
many other statesmen of the entente have ex-
pressed their willingness and even eagerness to
give consideration the first sincere peace offer
that comes from Germany
Is the to be fought until the allied troops
reach Potsdamo Or will the overturn in Germany
come before her armies literally have to be ex-
terminated by the sword? 1t is not to be doubted
that, if Hohenzolernism has its way, the last
German will fall before surrender comes. But, of
course, Hohenzollernsm will not have its way; the
only question is, will allied diplomacy be big and
skillful enough to bring enlightenment to Ger
many before OF determination sets in?