Evening star., 1918-02-27
P[ANFORNEXT WAR
SEEN IN PEACE TALK
Germans Hope to Keep Door
to Belgium Open for Future
Drive in the West.
BIZ FRANK H. sIMoNDs.

By FRANK II. SIMONDS.
Copyright. 1918. Mcclure Newspaper syndicate.D
1t is perhaps fortunate thing that
the world has the recent German per-
formances in Russia by which to meas
ure the latest utterances of the German
chancellor with respect to Belgium.
What the Germans actually have in
mind, beneath the outward disguise of
soft words about "peace and friendship"
with Belgium after the war, is not to be
mistaken by any one who has followed
the course Of Russian events.
German purpose is just this: Tho
Belgian doorway. both to the indus
trial regions Of northern France and to
the coast facing Britain. was forced
through fraud and violence and in de-
flance OF all international good faith
in August, 1914. Since that time the
German treatment of the Belgians has
made it inevitable that after the war,
IL Belgium regains her freedom, every
thing German will be an object OF
loathing and detestation in Belgium.
ana every effort will be made by the
Belgian people to prevent new inya-
sion both by their own efforts and in
alliance with Britain and France.
Britain to Keep in Readiness.
In addition. for at least a decade
Britain will be ready for any new Ger
man aggression as she was not ready
in 1914. Had there been a British
army of half a million ready to go to
the continent when Germany broke into
Belgium then there would have been
no invasion of northern France, no ar
rival OF German troops at Ostend and
Zeebrugge. From the outset the Ger.
mans would have been outnum bered
and outgunned. and the decisive battle
OF the war would have been fought
east OF Brussels instead of west of
Paris.
Germany has not won the war in the
west She will lose it. if she cannot
next time, of which the German gem
erals are already talking. II. by the
treaty OF peace which ends the war.
Belgium is once more placed under
1he guarantee Of the great powers.
then Germany will have to begin in the
<Ardenres, the next time she attempts to
strike at Britain and France. And for
such blow both Britain and France will
not only be ready. but will possess the
numbers to parry it. before it becomes a
menace to either
Germany Plans for Next Time.
It is in order to be ready for next time
that the Germans are now planning to
hold Belgium, not by nominal annexation.
oue oy actual occupation and domination.
1t Is essential that Americans should
recognize clearly the fundamental bad
faith Of the present German PROPOSE
u 4, i,1,
lies the latest words of the German
chancellor. Germany means to keep
her domination in Belgium, whatever
may be the form that she DISCUSSES
that domination under. She means to
keep this control. because now, that
she has disposed Of Russia in the east
she looks forward to dealing with
Britain and France in the west at some
future time. When she has done this
her dream of world power will be
realized.
If she resigns all control of Belgium
now there is small chance that she
swiftly and completely as in August.
1914, for French. British and Belgian
armies. together with trench lines.
which would guard the Belgian from
Meuse, would block her way.
.. Belgium the Key.
With the collapse OF Russia Belgium
again becomes the key of military
operations and peace negotiations. Any
thing less than a war to the death
against German ambitions in Belgium
will mean simply a guarantee of a new
war. just as soon as Germany can pre-
pare for it. 1t will mean an armed
truce. renewal of all the evil condi-
tions of the last forty years in Eu-
ropean history. 1t will mean the further
subsection of 100000 Belgians to a
slavery which is already part of the
history OF the present war. 1t will mean
that France will be open to a new at
tack whenever German appetite is suf.
dciently aroused.
No single utterance of German
statesman since the beginning of the
world war is more unmistakable in its
real meaning than the last declaration
Of Chancellor Hertling. It is not a
promise of peace, but a proof of the
necessity of war. It discloses the intent
of Germany, having disposed OF Russia
in this war, to hold the Belgian door
way open that she may be able to strike
at the hearts Of France and Britain in
the next war.
Accordingly it is time to stop all talk
of peace for the present fighting season.
The German chancellor has given the
west, France, Britain, Italy and the
United States a chance to make peace
on terms as advantageous to Germany
and as ruinous to her western enemies
as was Brest-Litovsk fortunate for the
German and fatal for the Russian. Hap
PLY our own bolSheviki have not yet
the control which Lenine and Trotzky
possessed and used to the complete ruin