New-York tribune., 1918-06-27
The German Peace

eives the whole Teutonic affair it's aspect
of morbid pathology. He can moralize
about rapacous conquest in heavy dia-
lcctics and pretend not to know what the
war is about.
In the Reichstag Monday he announced
the new German peace terms. They are
incredible Never had Germany the au-
dacity to demand so much. Yet there is
the pretence of asking very little-so
little that the world would hardly miss
it and could not refuse if only for mo-
ment it would open its mind to the in,
spiration of justice.
The proposals are so hidden in much
verbiage that on first reading they do
not all appear They are six, namely:
ONE-That Mitteleuropa shall stand;
TWO-That Germany shall have an
overseas empire;
THREE-That Germany shall be re-
stored to full economic intercourse with
the world;
FOUR-That the weapons of diplo-
macy shall displace the sword;
FIvE-That the negotiations shall be
secret; and,
SIX-That the world shall accord Ger
many its honor and respect as condi-
ton preliminary to beginning negotia-
tions.
Each of these proposals is to be verified
from the text of the Foreign Minister'S
speech. Let US take them in order, as
follows:
PROPOSAL I
Peace, provided Mitteleuropa shall
stand.
Herr Won Kuehlmann says: "Our posi-
tive desires are for the Ger
man people and our allies free inde-
pendent existence within the boundaries
drawn for US by history"
Germany and her allies constitute Nit
teleuropa All of them have laid claim
to territory that is not theirs, under. pre-
tence of historical rights. If there is any
doubt about the meaning of the new and
euphemistic phrase, boundaries drawn
for US by history" it is dispelled at once
by Won Kuehlmann's apology to the Ger
man people Tin the same specify for
having failed at Brest-Litovsk to take all
of Russia's Baltic provinces at one bite.
THE historical internal cohesion of the
entire Baltic region" he says. suggested
at that time objections against the last
ing separation between Livonia, Esthonia
and Courland." However, conditions
made haste imperative and peace had to
be concluded as It was, leaving some Of
tho Baltic region temporarily unac-
counted for. Livonia's historical right to
be assimilated by Germany has since
been appropriately celebrated. "Boun-
daries drawn for us by history" mean for
Germany and her allies everything they
have been able to take by force. That is
Mitteleuropa.
PROPOSAL II
Peace, provided Germany shall haze
an oUerseaS empire.
Herr Won Kuehlmann says: "Our posi-
tive desires are overseas pos
sessions corresponding to our greatness
and wealth"
PROPOSAL III
cOCcs KOEtucU ocfMHNy OC TcSLOTSU
to full economic intercourse x,ith the
rOrld.
Herr Won Kuehlmann says: "Our posi-
tive desires are freedom of the
sea, carrying our trade to all parts of
the world"
PROPOSAL II
Peace. prorided the sceapons of d.
piomacy shall displace the sword.
Herr Won Kuehlmann says: ain view
of the magnitude of this war
its end can hardly be expected through
purely military decisions alone and with
out recourse to diplomatic negotiations. u
PROPOSAL z
Peace. prorided the negotiations be
secret.
Herr Won Kuehlmann says: "Far-go-
ing advances on the road to peace can
hardly any longer be expected from pub.
lie statements which we shout to each
other from the speakers tribune"
PROPOSAL VI
Peace. prouided the world accord 10
Germany its honor and respect as a
condition preliminary to beginning ne
gotiations.
Herr Won kuehlmann says: "One of
the preliminary conditions must be Ger