Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-06-06
GERMAN EDITORS
FOR PEACE DRIVE
Conquest, However, Is Gen.
eral Demand of Teu.
tonic Press
SEE FAVORABLE MOMENT
Special Cable to Evening Public Ledger
Copyright, 1918. bv New York Times Co.
Amsterdam luna 6


The demand of the autocratic and aris-
| tocratic Kreuzzeitung that the German
Government should al once begin a peace
offensive and openly proclaim its war
and peace aims attracted considerable
attention in the German press.
Theodor Wolff. in the Berliner Tage-
| blatt. supports the demand, but utters
warning that If the demand Is replied
| to as apparently the Kreuzzeitung
| wishes. by a proclamation of annexation
| ist aims. then that is a sure way to rally
all parties of England and France more
| determinedly under the flag of war. He
rejects such aims and declares it to be
| the German democrats faith that this
gigantic war must only end in a free
| understanding"
Unconvncingly he throws upon the
Entente democracy the blame for the
progress made by the Pan-Germans in
their annexationist campaign. but holds
| that France has shown herself to be a
heroic opponent, with whom peace could
| honorably be made.
The Cologne Gazette supports the de-
mand of the Kreuzzeitung. 1t says:
| THE cleavage regarding war aims
rends our people asunder and must under
all circumstances come to an end. No
| time Is more suitable for that than the
|
| 1t is hot We are convinced that the
Kreuzzeitung's demand rises not only
| from a very general WISH but Is also
the expression of our political need"
The same journal goes on to rejoice
al Vorwaerts' support of the demand and
halls that as a sign of agreement be-
| tween the political extremes, and It pro-
| ceeds:
| No Return to Status Quo
Every peace after victorious battles
Is a peace of force and of understand
| ing. II is not matter of name. but
Of actual conditions It Is impossible to
return 10 the status quo. Certainly we
were driven on by no lust of conquest
in 1914. But since then we have lived
four years of world history and by
that experience we must measure the
guarantees we require"
The article concludes by saying:
We require an understanding among
ourselves before we can reach a peace
by understanding with our enemies"
Having watched the reception of its
| suggestions, the Kreuzzetung ventures
to put dots on its is and strokes on Its
is. Having bemoaned the failure of Ger
man political science since Bismarck's
time and lamented that even when Ger
manys policy was directed toward ar
| understanding with England that the
| initiative was never dernlte or clear.
headed" and that German political in.
fluence was carelessly thrown into the
scale In Balkan matters, the journal
proceeds to say much which cast!
serious doubt on the hope of the Co.
logne Gazette that German politica
extremes will meet in the matter II
bids the Government throw overheard
"all chicken-hearted pessimists of the
Erzberger and scheldemann stamp
and adds:
Would Grab Fruits Of Victory
THE time for an understanding on
the basis of peace offers has gone by
The time has now come for other kinds
Of understanding-that on the basis OF
military prestige We do not need tc
offer anything. but we may begin tc
demand. We have the advantage. The
German wishes to know the aims fol
which he fights VIGOROUSLY. If the
Government now takes the initiative
then the war will be won, not only milf
tarily. but politically, and Germany
prestige will be secured for the fu
ture.'