South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1918-09-29

Pres't Wilson's prompt crushing rejection OF the
Austrian peace proposal has stopped the second Ger
peace offensive the enernys places OF
bly,. The assaulting columns leit the hostile
trenches In every circumstance this action Of the
president admirable. and the inspiring fact
promptly disclosed that Mr.. Wilson had spoken the
will country and that decision was that
the whole American people
But the repuIse end the German offensive:
has the initial defeat ended the danger? 1 do not
think any who recalls the history Of the Ger
peace offensive that o December. 1916.
Ieve This In point OF fact the allied statesmen OF all
the nations at declined the German proposal
promptly and as uncompromsingly has the pres
ident now. but what was the result: For more than
a year the German rnaneuver continued; procured
revolution in Russia DISCRIMINATION in the allied
countries decline in the morale the solidarity
Of the British and French peoples it brought the
whole allied cause TO the edge OF utter disaster
II is essential. therefore, keep mind
upon the ne" German maneuVer as dangerous and
certain TO gro" more dangerous IN the next few
months, during which military operations viii
sary pause and the world. resting from battle,
not from the agOnies OF will have time and
20 think OF peace
Today are all OF as in America of mind
the subject peace are agreed that there can be
peace by negotiation and no peace Of any sort un
til the German has been beaten, the military
power OF the German nation broken bv defeat: until
we have demonstrated to the German people that
or bavinp invoked rutbIessress and terror to escoe
the consequences Of these crimes atrocities which
have for more than four years been steady con
comitant OF German advance or retreat.
AMERICA OF ONE
MIND ABOUT PEACE
We I'm America agreed that the time TO talk
with the enemy is when he beaten not before, and
that the way 70 talk with him then is by the mpos
upon him Of peace terms not by secret de-
bate in private conference. which shall have the char
acter OF bargain counter operation In this spirit
the nation, only through the president
the president answered Austria We have been long
time arriving at sound view OF the world situation.
but have arrived. and voice is unanimous
But It is necessary at once to recognize the charac
Of the danger. There has been too much will
painted by optimism rather than by
port Failure to understand the facts at the time Of
the first peace offensive almost involved ruin
n failure will be less costly; perhaps will
he terribly costly; no man can doubt this.
And there certain truths which are automatic
In the first place must put aside the notion that
the German is beaten what is more important, be-
eves he is beaten. At the close OF rather than
four years OF he has conquered industrial
gions OF France, occupied Belgium demolished the
Russian empire and all cohesion in the Russian peo
pie he dominates Vienna Sofa, Constantinople; he
holds Serbia. controls Roumania; his allied
are in Venetia. He has lost some battles this his
confidence has been In measure shaken but this
confidence shaken only applies the expected
complete victory by Defeat i'm the OF in
vasion OF surrender has not yet been established
possibility in the minds OF the masses Of the German
people.
GERMAN PEACE NOTION
IL ONLY OF BARGAIN.
The only notion OF peace which exists in the
minds of the German people Is peace by bargain
Germany will pay stolen profits pro-
vided she keep others. The German people de
mand Of their government that it shall show its
the government in intrenchng itself against criticism
home by putting Austria up offer such
and then endorsing the proposal subordinate tt
utterly false view hold that Germany is
believes herself beaten peace
proposals in panic to escape defeat This is the
on the contrary the German has had recourse again
the peace offensive because his military operations
have temporarily turned badly. This exactly
what he did In 1916. and then, his peace Of
fensive is a offensive it is a method winning
the on his terms IL is preparation for mill
tary operations later Just the oOsinC poison
and the delivery OF artillery bombardment pre-
paratiOns for infantry attack.
The very best in which understand the pres
German offensive is 20 60 back for a moment and
examine the first peace offensive Then
realized how completely the peace agitation is sub
ordinate 20 the general and central idea. which
the II the American people under
stand the German campaign they must dis
miss two misrepresentation. one that beaten Ger
manys Is seeking by surrender to escape defeat
and disaster two, that when the German talks about
peace he means peace I'm sense. means anything
but the OF talk disarm his enemy. that
may fan upon him again and destroy him.
Six days after the fall OF Bucharest in 1916 the
Germans made peace proposal They did it the