Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-09-18
kaiscr's Farcical Peace Plea.


man-madc war has expected peace
overture from the Teutons after the signal
scfeat of their armies In the last five or
ux weeks. The plea was certain to
,omc, so its announcement was not a
uIrprisc 70 any one, but there was a
belief that the overturcs might come
through the Vatican again. Austria,
however, being n vassal of the kaiser,
was picked to make the plea for peace
which Berlin must know, if II has any
sanity left, would be ridiculous, would
n fact he an admission that the war had
iecn won by the Huns.
The pretense or surprise and the
declaration that Vienna made the over
turcs without consulting Berlin ls too
foolish to hc considered, and IS only n
l:.rt ST the so-callcd diplomatic deception
that Germany has practlccd slncc the
~: moment tho thought Of war found
.dgncnl at Potsdam Austria cannot
and would not dare to take such step
without the knowledge and consent Of
Berlin. 30 il is easy to sec the movement
is conceived in lying
If Vienna or Berlin is ready for peace,
President Wilson has pointed the only
wav TO proceed This they have lg-
norrd. although the United States and
the Allies have stated and restatCd the
only possible terms upon which nCgotia-
,ons for peace may be inauguratcd.
To bc sure, the Tcutons want peace
nero is not the slightest doubt about that,
i they DO not want the kind Of peace
~ aIc sure to be forced TO accept, sooner
}tcr The Kaiser would insist IN
Ing a hig part in any peace parley,
,t. such re would have the pacifstS
Understand is his intention, when he must
know that when peace comes he will not
he consulted
The world might understand now, once
and Tor all. that any peace by negotiation
would not be more than q truce and would
leave the barbarisan from beyond the
Rhine in position 10 run amuck again,
probably in the next generation, when
he malicious crown prince would be IN
he German war saddle
Berlin knows and Vienna knows that
Inc Allies will break the sword OF the
Kaiser, reduce the navy and military
lower Of those nations TO point that
will not permit them TO again attack the
worlds civilization. and all talk OF peace
now IS the merest bluff
Peace. when it comes, viii be made
somewhere between Metz and Berlin
Il may he highly improbable that the
Allied army vii! reach Inter den Linten,
for NC have had demonstrated IN the last
few weeks that instantly war i trans
fcrred 10 Hun territory, the craven
barbaTlans shout "kamerad' in fear and
In the hope Of saving their hides whole
Those who know German character
and Hun diplomacy best, unite in the
view that Berlin is praying for time, time
TO restrengthcn her armies; time ID
which they NAV recover from their losses
and demorszation The Kaiser, how
ever, If tirde is gained through So
called peace party, will trust that he may
in some way or other break up the
entente make q separate peace with one
or ;he other of ms enemies and thus
weaken the Allies strength, as he did
several months ago in Italy and in
Russia. Tor example But II he holds this
hope it Is vain, for the civilized nations
will stand together till the last German
fag falls and until the last enemy OF
Christianity Is held and bound.
Berlin, independent of Austria, also
has offered to discuss peace with Bel
gum Now that the Kaiser is being
driven back into Germany, he is wiling
10 evacuate Belgium under certain con
dItions There can be no doubt be would
seize any opportunity to get out of the
despoiled little kingdon1-on any con
ditions-for any concession he could OBJ
tain III the way Of conditions would be
pure gain lie has read IN the recent
lessons of the war that if he can evacuate
Belgium and get his armies out safely,
he will have cause for thanksgiving
so much for all his professions, his
absurd pretensions. OF course, he will
quit Belgium just when General Foch
tells him the hour for departure has struck.
One asks himself, again and again, if
the German Emperor is sane His ac-
tions and his talks bring the query to
the fore frequently. One wonders il
he thinks he will be permitted 10 treat
with Belgium; if he imagines he will be
allowed to march out Of that country and
there end his responsibility The Allies
will insist, and he knows it, that Belgium
must DC restored. The loot, the ma
ehinery stolen from all The mills, carried
70 Germany, or destroyed to prevent It's