Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-11-12
Terms of Victory.

Following the lines of those granted
of armistice granted to and accepted
by Germany render it impossible for
the enemy to renew hostilities. With
the signing of the document at Gen.
Foch's headquarters came the end of
the war so far as the German armies
can be controlled by those who are
now in power in that country. Re-
sumption of hostilities is improbable,
inasmuch as the revolution just ac-
eomplished in Germany is in the in
terest of peace. The German armies
were kept in the field and held to their
steadily losing warfare against their
will by superior authority. That au-
thority swept away, it will be impos-
sib.e for any newly constituted gov
eminent to renew the fight on q large
scale.
If fully complied with the terms of
will deprive Germany of all
positions of advantage in the field and
of the greater part of her artillery and
aerial equipment. The forces that are
behind the provisional from
tier, which lies well inside of German
territory, east of the Rhine, will carry
little but their small arms, with which
they could not hope to make a success
full resistance, much less an assault.
The retention of the small arms is
permitted as a means of
order in Germany.
1t is not to be seriously apprehend-
ed that the naval terms of the armis-
tiee will not be complied with, even
though there is report of a call by
the revolutionary council in command
of the feet to resist the allies in ode
Tense" of the country Should, how
ever, the naval revolutionists under
take such a resistance they would be
caught between two fires, that of the
allies from the sea and land ad-
vance, necessitated by this breach of
the armistice, against the hopelessly
crippled German army.
In consideration of these terms of
armistice it must be borne in mind
that they are not terms of peace, but
are merely the conditions upon which
the enemy is granted cessation of hos
the peace terms. Evacuation of certain
areas does not signify that those areas
will comprise all the changes of the
political map, or, on the other hand,
that all the areas occupied provision
ally by the, allied troops will perma-
nently pass from Germany There is
no attempt to rectify frontiers by this
procedure.
The repatriation of allipeoples en-
shaved by Germany in the course of
her occupation of allied territory, while
not strictly measure Of military pre-
caution, is so essentially an act Of JUS
tiee that it should not be delayed and
it properly finds place among the stip
ulations. Of the same nature is the
requirement for the return of all
stolen money and the broad stipulation
for preparation for damage done" The
inclusion of this item in the arlnistice
terms and now accepted fixes the prin.
ciple of reparation or indemnity def
nitely.
Any attempt at reputation by the
organization now styling itself the gov
eminent of Germany or by military
faction taking control Of the army or
navy will mean resumption Of hos
tilities But the end of such renewed
warfare is only q matter of 4 short
time. Had the armistie not been
signed yesterday morning another
week might have seen the German
forces driven back upon their own soil
and fleeing in disorder. With even a
partial compliance with the armistice
terms. with the allied armies follow
ing up mile by mile as evacuation pro-
crosses, any attempt at reputation and
resumption of warfare can only bring
disaster incalculable upon the German
people