South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1918-09-29

OF a great victory but at the close Of a cam
paign in which they had been defeated at Yer
dun and the Somme This proposal was at once
allied countries as an evidence of weak
and despair and rejected by allied states
with little thought the real purposes
actual dangers which had been created by the Ger
man gesture Now. after two years. see clearly
what the Germans had in mind in December 1915.
WHAT THE GERMANS
HAD IN MIND.
In first place they knew that Russia was at the
end OF her rope, exhausted, and incapable of
military effort. They that the ministry
realizing that revolution was at hand had betrayed
Roumania to them in order that the defeat OF
mania might demonstrate that victory impossible
and peace by negotiation inevitable Only thus could
the bureaucracy In Russia hope itself
against revolutionists. troops recalled from
war The Sturmer ministry had fallen, but the Rus
sian conditions remained. having dealt with the
cabinet the Germans were operating through the
gutter; having exploited the ministerial fear of the
revolutonists 1t was now making Of the reVolu-
tionists
Accurately the Germans diagnosed the Russian sit
uation. They foresaw the revolution which they
ufactured; they understood
people we're exhausted and conquered and de-
sired peace al any price They calculated
Germany offered Russia refused it. together
with her allies, then the Russian monarchy would fall
and the people, mad for peace, would destroy their
rulers and reject their alliances In word, the Ger
calculated. quite correctly that peace pro-
Mackensen and put Russia out OF the Then they
could have their in the The treaty OF
Brest-Ltovsk was the final proof of their correctness
Of vision
HOPED FOR SENTIMENT
IN UNITED STATES.
Again. the Germans point launching
their submarine campaign. and there deadly
lest this should involve them in with the
United States But they hoped that II they assumed
the attitude Of seeking peace affirmed willingness
the adopted OF reasonableness with
out giving awkward guarantees OF good faith the
enemy nations would reject their proposals
the result would be the creation OF public senti-
ment In America against allied obsnacy and that
sentiment would lead TO an acceptance of the new
marine regulations. Believing that the American peo-
pie would see the war prolonged by allied obstnacy
= n scar
In this they miscalculaed but what is important is
that they calculating.
important the calculations with re-
spect TO the British and French people Both
In Britain, the pacihsts. the ideasts the
humantarians were beginning to reassert themselves
their criticism Of their government
derminng public confidence. At the other end of the
line selhshness making itself heard; labor fearful
lest its recently victories should be lost in the
capital apprehensive lest prolongaton of the war
should lead the destruction OF capital and the elm
nation or all ancient privileges was becoming nervous
and looking eagerly toward a settlement.
In addition. there was in Britain disappointment
with the government which had just led to the fall OF
Asquith and the coming OF Lloyd George, and upon
Lloyd George the pacfsts and the dealists
tering darSerous attack Instead OF assailing the
enemy for his great crimes, these pacifsts and
called liberals" denouncing allied aims
eging that these aims German in character and
responsible the proongation OF the struggle
this continual assault weakening public confidence
GREAT CAMPAIGN
LAUNCHED FRANCE.
a monstrous "defeatst' campaign was get
ting under way sfully engineered by German agents
France suddenly attacked behind the firing line
and the attack directed at WEAKNESS; after
Nerdun and the Somme the still going on
and German agents asserted that II continued
French interests but % British ends the
French government could have peace, honorable and
profitable to France-Germany offered
French government bound to the British chariot
international finance in London and in Paris lifted
head again
Now the leaders Of the allied nations in rejecting
the German peace proposal. did not thereafter take
the necessary steps abolish the consequent
They had their fixed the German public and
satisfied that German morale was breaking down
az the very moment when German morale
shaken and the morale OF their peoples be
coming seriously affected Once they had been
surprised they had failed gather the drift
attack they had imagined that in ma Ring the
proposal Germany cOnfessing weakness and in
iecng IL they revealing strength; the truth
just the opposite
All OF this is revealed in the course OF events in 1917
Russia fell the holsheviki rising power.
Germany. accepting German peace gestures made
in good faith and broke with their old allies Russia
eliminated from the and the Germans at last
reached situation where they could concentrate their