Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-02-18
WE BUY NO GOLD BRICKS
WITH AMERICAN BLOOD

WE HAVE repeatedly called attention
to the practical value Of the Presl-
dents moral offensive against Germany, a
belief In which is becoming more and more
pronounced in Allied capitals. There is
evident. also we regret TO observe, a dis
tinct invigoraton Of opposition to the
policy Of the Knockout blow" It is cur
rnnt ,pii ion too. in informed Washington
clrchs, that the President himself was at
the maximum of his war demands when he
aid down his fourteen conditions of peace
and that his last address marked a distinct
recession. These features dovetai into an
impression that common meeting ground
western world is much further exhausted.
There are powerful interests IN all
belligerent countries which view with
: alarm the spread of Boshevkism and
wonder IL q victory for either group is not
d. stinsd Z, be hollow unless the peace
heaty is signed in the immediate future.
w liidt tiANlS HO GISdN
Of people in this country devoted to the
mere pursuit of peace such. II peace
slone had been our object we could have
kept It in shame and humiliation. What
men hope for and what the United States
fights for is not a lull in hostilitles and
long. subsequent period OF prodigious and
(vx.p rfe hioo Tor 80
the struggle. The resources Of the race
for generations to come have been drawn
on by most Of the belligeren,s. They have
put everything they have and everything
they hope to have into the conflict. A peace
Of checks and balances, a seesaw peace.
would offer to them nothing but fattening
period. in which they could recover some.
what from their emaciation before being
finally swallowed up.
Whether our craftsmanship admits II or
not. the people OF this nation. we are con.
ndent, entered the war for the very purpose
Of delivering knockout blow" That It
was apparent, was the only kind of blow
that would give guarantees of future Sc
curity and safety. II is obvious that we
cannot trust the Hohenzollerns and still
clearer that we cannot put our faith in the
glittering promises of Prussian militarsts
particularly If they march from the
trenches with the prestige of victory, wear
Z Ing the insignia Of triumph and being
nxed In their belief that their organiza-
tion can whip the world"
A year ago men said that France was
weak and her knees sagging. Some others
tell US now that the Hun can never be
peace with him while there is yet time
General Pershing has answered the argu-
ment by stating that it is heresy to assume
that the Hun is immovable and invincble
Yet the Hun. perhaps, deserves to own the
world II the protagonists Of civilization are
20 weak and dubious of their own power
~ to accept defeat under another name
Our soldiers die in vain If they die merely
TO set up new balance of power with the
base Of it set in quicksand. We want and
we fight for nothing OF that sort. 1t Is
true that few great issues ever come TO an
Appomattox. but this is one that must
come there. The promise OF the existing
German Government, In present circum-
stances to be good Is not worth a million
lives; no. not one American life. II that is
y what we fight for our armies might better
never have crossed the seas. We seek to
buy no gold bricks with American blood.
We view. therefore. with some alarm per-
sistsnt efforts to coin a peace out OF the
base elements now at hand. 1t could be
only counterfeit. Too much talk Of such a
possibility enfeebles war preparation. 1t
4 emboldens the enemy and gives him sus-
3 tenance. We have no indemnities to ask.
no territory to annex. nothing to get from
our titanic efforts except an assurance of
fuSure peace and security and guarantees
Il that German pistol win no longer be
polnted at our heart To talk of peace on
clhes terms, peace Of shreds and patches.
q 3o advocate a. ruinous a betrayal Of
o11snal intsrssts as the world has ever