Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1918-09-16
the military and,political position, and
hitherto; at any rate, 1t has not led to
a tangible general result that could be

. ~
q tangible general result that could be
utilized.
ut is true that, independent Of. all
these oscillationsSi 1T can be stated that
the distance between the conceptions
Of the two sides has, s:on the whole,
grown somewhat less; that despite the
jindtsputable continuance OF decided
and hitherto unbridged differences. a
partial turning from many Of the most
extreme concrete war aims is visible
and a certain agreement, upon the
relative general basic principles Of a
world peace manifests itself. In both
camps there is undoubtedly observ-
able in wide. classes Of the population
a growth Of the will to peace and un-
derstandtng. Moreover, q compari-
son of'the reception Of the peace pro-
posal of the powers of the quadruple
alliance on the part of their opponents
with the later utterances of RESPONSE
BILE statesmen OF the latter. as well as
Of tho non-responsible, but, in a po-
ntical respect. no-wise un%inf1uential
personalities. confirms this impression.
Allied Demands Modified.
While, for example, the reply Of the
Allies to President Wilson made de-
mands which amounted to the dis
memberment Of Austria-Hungary, to a
OA1liAltuIAOAt- oAlu uScp lllkC4 Aldl ~ VI dll6-
formation of the German empire, and
the destruction Of Turkish European
ownership. These demands, the
realization of which was based on the
superstition of an overwhelming VIC
tory, were later modified In many
declarations from oficialN Entente
quarters, or in part were dropped.
Thus in declaration made in the
British House of Commons a year ago
Secretary Balfour expressly recognize
ed that Austria Hungary must itself
solve its Internal problems, and that
no one could impose a constitution
Premier Lloyd-George declared at the
beginning of this year that it was not
one Of the Allies war aims to partition
Austria-Hungary to rob the Ottoman
empire of its Turkish provinces, or to
reform Germany internally. It may
also be considered symptomatic that
in December, 1917, Mr.. Balfour cate
that British policy had ever engaged
itself for the creation Of independent
states out Of the territories on the left
bank Of the Rhine. NJ.
A War for Defense.
1.-THE central powers leave it in nc
doubt that they are only waging a wal
Of defense for the integrity and the
security Of their territories.
Far more. outspoken than in the
domain Of concrete war aims has the
rapprochement of conceptions pro
ceeded regarding those guiding lines
upon the basis Of which peace shall
be concluded and the future order OF
Europe and the world built up. In
this direction President Wilson in his
speeches Of February IL and July 4
Of this year., has formulated princi.
pies which have not encountered con.
tradiction on the part of his Allies
and the fa~r-reaching application OF
which is. likely to meet with no OBJ
lection on the part of the powers OF
the q%uadruple Alliance also presup-
posing that this application is general
aid i~rreconcilable with the vital in
terests of the state concerned.
ut is true it must be remembered
that an agreement on general prin-
ciples is insufficient but that there
remains the further matter Of reach
ing an accord upon their interpreta-
ton and their application to individ-
ual copcrete war and peace questions