The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1918-03-07
THE DEBATE SHOULDCLOSE
Argument That Will Tell With
the TeutOnic Powers Are Vic
tories on the Western Front
By WILLIAM H. TAFT

CHANCELLOR Won HERTLING'S
Oreply to President Wilson's address
of February Il does not help the sit
uation. Germany's spokesman pro-
fesses fundamental agreement with
four general principles stated by the
President as the basis for a proper
settlement of the war. One of these
was that each part of the settlement
should be based on the essential justice
of that part and should be made with
view to securing permanent peace. The
second was that peoples and provinces
were not to be bartered from one SOW
ereignty to another to secure a balance
of power. The third was that every
territorial settlement must be for the
benefit of populations concerned and
not in adjustment of claims among
rival States. The fourth was that we'll
defined national aspirations should be
satisfied so far as possible without Gre
ating new or reviying old elements of
discord likely to break the peace of
Europe and the world.
COur' Won Hertling's insincerity in
accept these rules appears in the
hard / zee he has driven with the
BosheN si. The fact violates them all.
The cOnnitiOn in which 1T proposes to
leave Russia is not based on essential
justice nor will it secure permanent
peace save as Germanys mailed fist
will preserve it against the will of the
Russian people. 1t barters large part
of Russia to secure balance of power
sought by Germany and Austria 1t is
not for the benefit of the populations
concerned, but is in adjustment of the
claims Of Germany and Austria to loot
and to extend suzerainty after the war.
1t obstructs and defeats well-defned
national aspirations of Independent
Russia, and seeks to satisfy new nation
al aspirations Of Finland and the Tx
raine under cl-cu instances which viii
put them under German and Aurtrian
influence and make them 4 constant
menace to the peace OF Europe
The war aims Of the United States
and Of her allies have been sufficiently
stated. Further elaboration or re-
statement is likely to produce incon-
s.stencies and Offering points of view
which are confusing to the Allied peo-
pies. Indeed, the messages ofthe PresI.
dent already delivered considered as
whole, are rot wholly free from this
ault. We cannot win the war by talk.
Ne cannot sever Austria from the Ger
nan alliance, especially after the Rus
ian debacle, pipe we ever so sweety.
The arguments that will tell with the
German and Austrian peoples are Al
lied victories on the western front from
the North Sea to the Adriatic and
nothing else. Let US address our whole
energies to achieving these.
What we must steel ourselves against
in this country is the organization of an
inconclusive peace party. As the losses
VI me anu the DuIutIS VI taxes anu con-
tributions and the occasional and invi-
table discouragements crowd upon US in
the progress of the war, the insidious
pessimists, the reasonable, week
hneed. the pacifsts, the selfish and un-
patriotic will gravitate together and
will seize upon peace discussions, If
continued between. the Potsdam cabal
and the President. as evidence that
peace is only a question of specific
terms and of mutual concessions. The
fact Is far from this. The President
made this clear in his early messages
We cannot and must not retreat from
the position that the defeat of Prussian
militarism in battle and the consequent
ending of German plans for world dom
ination by force is our aim in this war,
and we shall be satisfied with nothing
else. ANY doubt cast upon this as our
purpose weakens our cause.
How the Kitzm;lIer School ,S 10.