Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1918-09-21
DESIRE FOR PEACE BY UNDER.
STANDING STRENGTHENED.

DESIRE FOR PEACE BY UNDER.
| STANDING STRENGTHENED.
'"To an unprecedented observer
| thero can be no doubt that in all tho
jbelligereut States, without exception
| the desire for Il peace Of understand
| ing has been enormously strength
ened; that the conviction is increas.
| ing that the further continuance of
the bloody struggle must transform
Europe into chaos and into state
| OF exhaustion and will mar its de.
Velopment for decades to come--and
| this without any guarantee of there
by bringing about that decision by
arms which has been vainly striven
, after by both sides in four years,
! Tiled with enormous sacrifices, suf-
! ferings and eXertions
I I'm what manner, however, can
: the way be paved for an understand
ing and an understanding finally at
tanned? Is there any serious pros.
pcct whatever of reaching this aim
by continuing the discussion Of the
peace problem in tho way hitherto
, followed?
we rave not the courage to an
, swer the latter question in the affirm
alive. The discussion from one pub
lie tribune to another, az has hither
; to taken place between statesmen Of
, the various countries, was really
only series Of monologucs. 1t lacked
, above everything, directness. Speech
, and counterspeech did not fit into
| each other. The speakers spoke
, over one another's heads.
"On the other hand, it was the
publicity and the ground of these
, discussions, which robbed them of
| the possibility of fruitful progress.
In all public statements Of this ma
, ture n form of oloquence is used
, which reckons with the effect at great
! distances and on the masses. Cou-
sciously or unconsciously however one
, thereby increases the distance of the
| opponents conception, produces mis-
J understandings which take root and
! arc not removed, and makes the
frank exchange Of ideas more diff
! cult. Every announcement of lead
! ing statesmen is, directly after its
! delivery and before the authoritative
quarters of the opposite side can reply
| to it, made the subject the passion
: ate or exaggerated discussion of IT,
responsible elements.
| "But anxiety lest they should Oh
danger the interests Of their arms by
, home and lest they prematurcly be-
tray their own ultimate intentions,
unfavorably influencing feeling at
also causes the responsible statesmen
themselves to strike n higher tone
and stubbornly to adhere to extreme
standpoints.
IT, therefore, an attempt is made
to see whether tho basis exists for
an understanding calculated to dc.
liver Europe from tho catastrophe
Of the suicidal continuation of the
struggle, then, in any case, another
method should be chosen which rem
ders possible a direct verbal discus
sion between the representatives Of
the governments, and only between
them. The opposing conceptions OF
individual bclligercnt states would
likewise have to form tho subject of
such II discussion, for mutual CHI
lightcnment. as well as the general
principles that shall serve as the
basis for peace and the future rcla-
tons of the states to one another,
and regarding which, in tho first
place, an accord can be sought with
Il prospect OF success.
CAS- soon as an agreement were
reached on the Fundamental princi-
pies, an attempt would have to be
made in tho course of the discussions
concretciy to apply them TO individ-
ual peace questions and thereby
/ bring about their solution.