New-York tribune., 1918-10-08
The Ne1u Manoeuure
By Frank II. Simonds
comright. lels. New York Tribune Inc.

they are in the presence of
peace offensive launched for military
purposes. This offensive is designed to
benefit the military situation of the Ger
mans by saving the German army from
the Immediately grave results of recent
defeats and from the later disastrous con-
sequences to the military hierarchy, if
the army suffers wholly decisive defeat.
A few months ago German leaders
were working in the full expectation of
Il military victory Then the press and
the public statements Of the leaders
alike solemnly recapitulated Germany's
peace terms, which included the anneXa-
ton of Belgium, Northern France. East
ern Italy, Serbia and the perpetuation
of German control III RumanIa and
Russia. Now, since there have been
changes in the military situation, Ger
many resigns this programme Of profit
and seeks peace which shall not involve
ever acquired. If she can't profit, Ger
many is resolved not to pay for this
world tragedy.
In addressing her peace appeal to the
President Of the United States, and in
putting into that appeal lip-service
Of acceptance of Mr.. Wilson's peace
programme, Germany has sought obvi-
ously and patiently to open a breach
between America and our European
allies, to start discussion over peace
terms which shall destroy Allied soli-
darity. She hopes the President will say
that the United States does not support
French claims to Lorraine or
Italian claims to Trieste and the Tren-
tino, and that on the strength of some
such utterance the alliance Of the West
ern nations will fall apart
Germany wants peace, yes, but she
wants anodyne peace on her own terms
having failed to impose victorious peace
on her own terms She is a very great,
distance from accepting peace on our
terms; she is not in the least convinced
that she will have to accept our terms
her statesmen are now maneuvring to
disrupt our alliance and at the same
time to get the sentiment of the Ger
man people behind them again bv es-
tabllshlng the fact that the enemy de-
mands that Germany shall pay the price
Of her crimes and meet the demands
Tor restoration, restitution. reparation.
These demands are just as unwelcome
to the peasant as the junker, and neither
is yet ready to accept them.
There is only one standard of meas
urement for German words, and that is
supplied by German deeds. We have
had Germany talking in the language
OF civilization for four years, but we
have had Germany acting in the manner
OF barbarlsm for the same period and
never were German deeds more express
slve OF the spirit of the Hun than in
the present hour. What do we care.
what can we care, about German words
when German deeds are precisely of
the same character as in the time Of
Louvaln or of the Lusitania?
We have won a great and decisive
campaign, we have deprived the Ger
man OF all chance of victory, and we
are daily depriving him of more of
French and Belgian soil, which he
shamelessly described as "pawns" for
peace negotiations. But we have not
deprived him Of his determination to
plllage, plunder, murder, to DESTROY the
future Of the countries occupied, bv
systematic and orderly annihilation of
the machinery of industry. He is still
cutting down the fruit trees and burn
ing the factories, that Germany .may
prosper without competition when
peace comes.
we shall deprive ourselves of all the
hard-won fruits Of four years of sacri-
nee II we negotiate with a GERMANY
still occupying Belgian or French soil.
still IN Champagne or even in Alsace-
Lorraine. We have not vet civilized or
tanned the German. Each days news
demonstrates that in retreat in 1918 he
is dong precisely the same things he
did when advancing in 1914 If we do
not break this barbarian spirit we shall
have to fight this war over again at No
distant date, but we can break this snirit
now' II we are permitted, if we permit
our army and the Allied armies to con-
tlnue in the logical exploitation of vic
tories already won.
Germany does not now want peace;
She wants immunity. Her army is not
conquered. 1t only needs a respite
Then it can begin again, and with
brighter hopes, the work which it has
never laid aside, the work which has
been fully illustrated over the most
beautiful regions in Western Europe
We shall never have done with the Ger
man military menace until we have won
decisive victory over the German
army, until we have achieved a Water