Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-09-29
1GERMANY'S LATEST PEACE MOVE
IS ANALYZED AS A WAR DEVICE
Mr. Smonds Points Out Great Danger Cause of Allies in
Present Peace Talk-German Do Not Believe Themselves
Beaten, But Are Merely Repeating Tactics Of 1916
Review of Former Peace Offensive"

cabinet Of Germans were now operat-
ing through the gutter; having ex-
plotted the ministerial fear OF the
revolutionists 1t was now making use
OF the revolutionists.
How Germans Sized Up Russia.
Accurately the Germans diagnosed
the Russian situation. They foresaw
the revolution, which they manufac-
tured; they understood that the mass
of the Russian people were exhausted
and conquered and desired peace at
any price. They calculated that if Ger
many offered peace and Russia refused
it, together with her allies. then the
Russian monarchy would fall and the
people, mad for peace, would destroy
In a word, the Germans calculated
quite correctly. that a peace propose
would complete the work of linden
burg and Mackensen and put Russia
out of the war. Then they could nave
their way in the east. The treaty OF
Brest-Litovsk was the final proof OF
their correctness of vision.
Huns Gambled on q. S.
Again, the Germans were on the
point of launching their submarine
campaign. and there was deadly dan
ger lest this should involve them IN
war with the United States. But they
hoped that if they assumed the attl'
tude of seeking peace. affirmed Will
ingness to end the war, adopted tne
tone of reasonableness without giving
any awkward guarantees OF gooe
faith, the enemy nations would
once reject their proposals ana the
result would be the creation OF a pup
lie sentiment in America against al
lied obstinacy, and that this sentlmen,
would lead to an acceptance Oh tne
new submarine regulations.
Believing that the American people
would see the war prolonged by allleo
obstinacy, the Germans hoped TO es-
cape conflict with America: IN i I'M.
they miscalculated, but what is I'm
portant is that they were calculating
Figuring on the British.
Even more important were the cal
cuIations with respect to the British
and French people. Both were war
weary. In Britain. the pacihsts, the
idealists, the humanitarianS were De
ginning to reassert themselves and
their criticism of their own govern
ment was undermining public conn
dence. At the other end OF the nne
selfishness was making itself heard;
labor. fearful lest its recently won
victories should be lost in the war;
capital, apprehensive lest prolonga-
ton of the war should lead to the de-
struction of capital and the elimlna-
ton of all ancient privileges, was be-
coming nervous and looking eagerly
toward a settlement.
In addition, there was in Britain dis
appointment with the government
which had just led to the fall OF AS
ouith and the coming Of Lloyd George,
and upon Lloyd George the pacinsts
and the idealists were centering a
dangerous attack. Instead OF assam
ing the enemy for his great crimes.
these pacifists and so-called liberals
were denouncing allied war aims. al
leging that these aims were German
in character and responsible Tor the
prolongation of the struggle. And this
continual assault was weakening pup
lie confidence.
French "Defeatist" Campaign.
- In France a monstrous "defeatist''
campaign was getting under way,
skillfully engineered by German agents
and supported by German money. In
yaded, bleeding, France was suddenly
attacked behind the firing line and
the attack was directed at war weari-
ness; after Verdun and the Sonme the
war was still going on. and German
agents asserted that it was continued
not in French interests, but to serve
British ends: the French government
could have peace. honorable and prot
table to France-Germany offered 1t,
but the French government was bound
to the British chariot. international
finance in London and in Paris lifted
its head again.
Now, the leaders of the allied ma
tions, in rejecting the German peace
necessary steps to abolish the conse-
ouent danger. They had their eyes
fixed upon the German public and
were satisfied that German morale was
breaking down at the very moment
when German morale was unshaken
and the morale of their own peoples
was becoming seriously affected. Once
more they had been surprised; they
had failed to gather the drift OF the
new attack; they had imagined that
in making the proposal Germany was
weakness, and in rejecting
it they were revealing strength; the
truth was just the opposite.
The Aftermath Seen in 1917.
All of this is revealed in the course
of events in 1917. Russia fell; the
rising to power, turned to
Germany, accepting German peace
gestures as made In good 1alth ana
broke with their old allies. Russia
was eliminated from the war, and the
Germans at last reached a situation
where they could concentrate their
energies on a single front. The de-
feat of the French army at the Aisne
gave a new energy to the defeatist
in France. and the morale
81, cd hxy hot nf "a
people, sunk to the lowest level in
three years of war. In Britain there
was a disorder among the various ele-
ments which was fatal to national
unity of purpose and action. In Italy
the situation WAS still worse, and out
of this situation came the disaster of
Caporetto in the autumn.
In sum, twelve months after she had
opened her peace offensive Germany
had by it eliminated Russia from the
war, brought Italy to the edge of ruin,
almost broken the nerve of France,
produced situation in Britain out of
which no leader could have impro-
America the peace offensive might
have won the war, but the failure had
been followed by the entrance of the
United States into the war, bringing
new hopes and new resources. Now
it is not too much to say that no
German military campaign in the four
which had occurred between August,
1914, and December, 1917, had achiev-
ed any such results as this peace Of
fensive.
But by the opening of the new year
the peace offensive had completed its
work and We saw Germany resume
her military offensive. The liberals"
in the rsichstag, who had been maxi
ing loud demands for peace without
or indemnity, lapsed into
silence; the movement for democratic
ing German institutions was over
taken by paralysis; the German gen.
eral staff went to Brest-Litovsk and
had it's way with Russia. and then
launched his great often
sive on the western front, which be-
gan with great victories and narrow
1y escaped reaching Paris.