The Washington herald., 1918-02-28
Peace.

The futlity OF trying to compress the war
within diplomatic scope is shown by the hsntning
like shift from given set OF circumstances 10
another Three weeks ago we were thinking OF
Russia as on the highway to salvation The boil
shevik had succeeded in gaining eminent and eio-
qucnt chaperonage to the allied camp and had been
sponsored so ardently that prejudice no longer held
them at arms length from the cause they mad ap-
parently disowned.
Three weeks ago, also Austria Hungary was
reported in the process of alienation from Prus-
sianism and even Germany was on the brink OF
regulating the war party and of demanding
peace on the mo annexations and no indemnities
formula We were painting pretty pictures OF Prus-
sian militarism's last gamble in the war-the pre-
dicted=drve in the West-and bracing allies for
the expected blow. -...
Now? 1t seems trifle premature in
our vision of rehabilitated Russia; premature in
our intellectual investment in German popular psy-
lchology; premature in thinking that there only
one string left for the German bow. We have been
walking on air. Our diplomatic offensive against
Berlin seems to have got lost somewhere like a
piece of freight of Mr.. McAdoo's railroads
We ought to send tracer out after it, it would be
curious to where it got sidetracked, if, indeed
il ever got started Count Won Hertling has done
the world service in showing that President Viii
son was organizing debating society when he
tened and anti-miitarist Germany. The German
chancellor has really shown his contempt for Wash
ington's laboratory of experimentation in German
Psychology by reducing the whole thing to
verbal iocSeying, and parrying diplomacy with
familiar Junker claptrap, not deeming it worthy
OF more subtle treatment
This is not to say that the President missed fire
altogether in the peace he has shot into the
enemy camp. 1t is merely saying that they were
one of these fine days the German people are going
10 turn upon the Hohenzollerns and rend them just
as France did the Bourbons-only the Germans
will make much complete job of it. There
will be no Second Empire in Germany no pre-
tenders to unsettle the peace of mind of the
burghers of Berlin after they get this megalo-
mania pummeled out of them; but that is the point
which our peace by negotiation" agtators persist
emily ignore-that before there can be any genuine
peace the WAR MEGALOMANIA MUST BE
PUMMELED OUT OF GERMANY.
In the face of what Germany is doing now we
doubt if these agitators will brazen it out any
longer. The mitarists not only are in the saddle:
they have ripped those precious Reichstag resolu-
tons OF July into shreds; they have whipped and
eowed the whole force of opposition to their policy
INTO silence. This, OF course, is but passing
phase The blood OF conquest may be up again in
Germany, but it is just like hot flush of sudden
energy rising up in sick and exhausted man.
Count Won Hertling speaks of the fruits of the
peace with the Ukraine If he means that either
Little Russia or Great Russia will revictual Ger
many or replenish her stores the reality probably
Will all far short of his calculations There is no
way OF neutralizing or eliminating German anxiety
Tor peace But this state of mind is doomed to re-
main mere state OF mind until German victory in
inc held is succeeded by definite German defeat
The most cynical and calIous transaction known
10 history is the way in which the Westminster
Gazette, OF London, characterizes the German in
Vasion OF Russia. The perfdy of it already has re-
acted upon the central empires First of all we see
kussla intrmidated into some show of resistance.
Nike cornered rat; secondly, peace nurmurines
among the Western nations are silenced, and the
strength OF absolute unity is given to our war
morale thirdly, the beast has rebranded himself So
clearly that in all nature there is no hyena so de-
Praved' and no lamb so innocent, as to be willing
TO with him.
Ihe Germans sometime supply the antidote to
their poison