The Elbert County tribune., 1918-01-18
Germany Cannot Be Given
Chance to Repeat Crime
Against World.
DANGEROUS MOMENT AHEAD
Americans Must Guard Against Day
When Teutons, Beaten, Offer
Peace on Basis of Status
Quo Ante.
BY J. FRANK DAVIS.

Perhaps the most dangerous moment
for America in all this war will be the
moment when Germany. admitting she
cannot win, offers to make peace on the
basis Of the status quo ante-to go
back to where things were before she
set forth so blithely upon her great ad-
venture.
Already her newspapers talk of such
peace. The~reichstag mo annexa-
tions and no indemnities" resolution Is
a ''feeler" for 1t. The war lords allow
this talk to be made. although they
have not officially sanctioned the prop
osition-
The day will come when they will,
however, and that will be dangerous
day for America. =,
From what we see quoted from Ger
man newspapers 1t is quite clear that
the people OF Germany think they have
only to offer to go back to where they
were before the war to gain peace.
When they say mo annexations and no
indemnities" they mean no annexations
by Germany and no indemnities TO be
collected by Germany. because it has
not even entered the head of one man
in ten in all Germany that they may be
forced to make reparatiOh.
Germans Still Deceived.
Also Germany does not understand
that any mere promise on her part not
to attack her neighbors will not be
taken. The Germans as whole still
are deceived into thinking their rulers
did not start the war. They do not ap-
preciate that their promise not to of
fend again would be worthless prom
Use. They do not know that their ma
ton is morally bankrupt; that the
word of its overlords Is no longer of
the slightest value in the councils OF
civilization.
When they get ready to admit that
they cannot win and to offer to return
to the status quo they Will expect their
enemies to accept those terms-In eff
feet peace made in Germany. And
we must be prepared for a considerable
movement in the United States advo-
eating the acceptance of such an offer.
The hyphenates and the pacifists
and the towards and all the other cop
perheads will be for it. "What more is
there that we should fight for?" they
will shout. "Why should we take sides
In any European quarrel over terri
tory or indemnities? Let the Germans
return Belgium and northern France.
and let the British and the Italians give
back the former German colonies and
the territory taken from Austria. And
let us all get together-Germanyt to do
her share, of course-and rebuild the
towns In France and Belgium that have
been destroyed. Let us be generous"
May Gain Following.
II only the traitors and the pacifists
were for such a plan we should have no
MORE to worry about than we now have
to trouble us in the activities of |. w.
w. and peace councils and disloyal pro-
German newspapers. But they may
gain an additional following among
lack-brained folk who now are not with
them.
We Americans are sentimental peo-
pie. We like to think about Furnishing
criminals, but we seldom like to punish
them. We will not repeal our laws
against capital punishment, but we
hate to convict under them.
The cry that will go up from all the
German propagandists when the offer
of status quo peace Is made will be a
loud one, and thousands of Americans
who are loyal enough at heart, but
loose-thinking, may be attracted by 1t.
Germany, in that hour, may be depend
ed upon to use every tool at her com
mand in this country to throw up dust.
to obscure the issue, to influence Amer
ir1na fnyynr1 bof Inl
the world as much in peril as 1t was
prior to August. 1914.
Would Be German Victory.
If they can get a great number of
people in the United States to agree
that Germany ought not TO be put
where she cannot repeat her crime
against civilization. the war will have
been In vain. II the Germans are able
to cease fighting. unpublished, and go
back home to prepare for the next
.war, with Mittel-Europa in their hands,
1t will have been a German victory,
even though not such victory as Ger
many expected when she began the
conflict
Nobody expects to annihilate Ger
many. Nobody wants to see her ami.
hilated. Nobody wants to crush her
except as a military menace But she
must keep the peace hereafter, and to
make sure that she does so her power
to repeat her offense must be de
stroyed. And-most important of all
the German people must have learned
that the militaristic policy of their war
lords does not pay
Watch and guard against the day
when Germany offers to call IT, draw.
1t would be a black day for the world