The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1918-11-06
PREMATURE PEACE.
Security League

Today practically every one in the nation is inter-
ested in the war, but again may be divided into
two classes: Those that think and those that do
motor cannot.
1t is only those incapable of grasping this great
war in it's entirety, of looking beyond the mere
casualty lists-which horrify ,then-that hope
and pray for an Immediate peace by negotiation
a peace that would leave the German empire in
the position of man who has had severe illness
but only needs time and care and recuperative rest
something the German empire now yearns for
to be stronger than ever again.
By this time it would seem that the densest per-
son in the United States must know that Germany
is insatiably greedy, mad for world power, con-
stunned with hatred of her rivals in wealth and i'm
portance, as ruthless and savage under thin
veneer as the ancient Huns, without pity, mercy,
honor; psychologically incapable of telling the
truth, or considering the rights Of others, and with
no sense of fair play whatever. And yet you hear
constantly-for the less intelligent of Americans
are ncurable optimists-"Oh, be sure she has had
enough Her people never will stand for another
war. She really desires peace now, and recog-
nizes her mistake in plunging the world into war
she never dreamed it would go so far. But let
US stop this killing business. The future can take
care of itself anyhow.
If this war finishes with the Hohenzolerns and
Prussia in power and an undismembered~ Austria
Hungary to support her, it will be because of a
breakdown Of morale on the part of the allied
powers, which has let them drift supnely. into a
negotiated peace And if Prussia remains in the
saddle and the Southern Slavs have not been per-
mitted to form strong buffer state, independent
of crippled and impotent Austria, we shall not
only be plunged into another war ten years hence.
but into hopeless war. The same decentralization
that had led our European allies to consent to a.
compromise would have relaxed their moral fibre
to such anextentsthat they would make little more
than the gesture of war; We, meanwhile should
be an armed camp from the Pacific to the Atlantic,
with navy some three times it's present size. Our
present taxes would be a mere trif1e to what we
should groan under untilsour issue with Germany
was settled once for all,s ~. x ii: ~a
Prussia has not altered its characteristics inf
fifteen hundred years not since the days Of Gen.
seric and Alarc, when the northern tribes Of Ger
many under those historic freebooters lived for
and the spoils of war, and won the honor of
being, with Atta, the most brutal trio in history.
The record of Prussia is even worse today. Is any
would have change of heart in our time? Yes.
when the leopard changes his spots to the gold
stars of sacrifice. She would whip Russia into
shape and then, head down, charge the world
again with something like twenty millions of
trained fighting men behind her.
There would be no doubt whatever about the
fate of Europe. We should have better chance
Of resistance, but none whatever of conquest, not
even if we sank the German navy. In any case
the war would drag on for years. Now, if the
pacists, socialists, and traitors in our midst, as
we'll as those weak timorous souls that weep over
our men who are delighted to be over there and
doing their duty, can be sienced, we stand fair
chanc of winning the war next year by sheer
superiority Of numbers and generalship, smashing
the military machine and chasing the wicked am
bilious and INSCRIPTIONS powers that alone are
responsible for this hideous scourge, into limbo
from which they never will emerge RI 1
The future Of the world literally lies in the hol-
low of our hand. At present that hand is fist
and Germany's mean little soul has shuddered and
shrunk under it's impact. But let those iron fingers
relax before Prussia is on her knees begging for
mercy, and we may as we'll make her present
with impressive ceremonies, on golden patter)
of modern civilization, including those mere side
issues, democracy, and individual freedom, and
have done with it. A compromise peace and
Prussia will lick her chops and sit down to the
leisurely task of eating US alive
Who's willing to bet all central Europe as far
west as the North sea won't be giving good imi-
tation of Bolshevk Russia for some months to
come?