New-York tribune., 1918-10-15
A Lusitania Peace?

Almost we are glad to believe that
Germany still has in the United States
secret agents who tell her what is going
on. They will have told her that the
country in all it's length and breadth is
vibrant with two ominous words:
iJNCONDITIONALS SURRENDER! This
is Americas historic answer. They will
have told her, also, that q demand for
the personal punishment of Colts un-
holy partners in the crimes of the last
four years is rising like tidal wave.
None of this information will be
found in what President Wilson calls
frank and direct statement of his de
cision with regard to the communlca-
ton of the German government of the
9Th of October, 1918"
This statement discusses two things,
namely, an armistice and peace
AS to an armstice, the President says
it can be considered only provided
"a That the arrangements shall abso-
iutely guarantee the maintenance of
the present supremacy of the American
and Allied armies, and,
tn That the Germans discontinue the
.nhumane" and illegal practices which
they still persist in, specific examples be-
ing the sinking of the Leinster, the sink
n ing of the boats in which the Leinsters
passengers and the crew took refuge and
the wanton destruction of cities and vii
ages by the German army.
We may pass lightly over the first
provision, calling for guarantees that
shall safeguard the supremacy Of our
victorious armies. Foch will attend to
them.
The second provision leaves US with
stricken, baffled feeling For more
than four years we have been calling
in vain upon an unbeaten Germany to
ulSCOHtlIIuc ucl lillQltdl III dCCICCS " Z
have no doubt that Germany, beaten, for
the sake of an armistice will consent
10 forego the further satisfaction of her
usts. And upon that concession are we
TO consider an armistice?
The nations associated against Ger
many" says the President, Cannot be
expected to agree to cessation of arms
while acts Of inhumanity, spoliation and
desolation are being continued, which
they justly look upon with horror and
burning hearts
Most Of US had thought the period
of looking upon Germany's acts Of in
humanity with horror and burning
hearts. as for so long we looked upon
the Lustania, was mercifully at an end,
and that our immediate business was
20 avenge them.
AS to the second subject of discus
sion-namely, peace-the President calls
attention to what he said in his Mount
Vernon speech about the destruction Of
every arbitrary power anywhere that
could separately secretly or of it's sim
gle choice disturb the peace of the
world-"or, if not its destruction, at
least its reduction to virtual impotency"
and says the power which has hith-
erto controlled the German nation is of
that sort 'It is within the power of
the German people to alter it" he says.
And he adds that "the whole process of
peace will, in his judgment, depend upon
Hthe defniteness and the satisfactory
guarantees which can be given in this
fundamental matter"
He does not say what this German
defniteness should consist in.
He does not say what kind of German
guarantees would be satisfactory
He does not say that in view of our
experiences with Germany the only
guarantee we can accept as to any