The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1918-01-10
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A&& 8fA%A+NA ht4ftN AAAF9A&N Fat#t' NtEftl
avenue usan the Bolahcyik govern
nacnt of Russia 1hc Allies can hard
ly be blamed COR viewing with saspie.
ION anything that comes 70 them under
such auspicFa. For IL rtprse's base
surrender on the part q the power
which. more than any other among
those a. the Entente, was responsible
for the war and an abandonment Of
cauga which ali embarked with solemn
pledge 20 each other that they would
make peace together and never sep
aratcly. To approve he Russo-Ger-
man pact now would be 70 eondone the
course Of the Bolabevih and incident
ally to establish them IN authority
permanently, without much doubt
hut even this unpalatAhle dose
might bc swallowed II II appeared, or
through any form OF negotiation could |
BE- made 10 appear that the Teuton |
offer promises basis Of real and last |
ing peace. such AS Europe and the
whole world deserve, Taking at their |
face the counter declarations made
last week by Count Czernin, repre-
senting the Central Powers, and b. |
Lloyd George, who may be assumec
70 speak for the Entente Allies, the
parties Of this great conflict are not
so far separated in their aims rs u
warrant continuance Of blood anC
treasure toll for possibly years u
come. II would seem otfhand as II The
relatively minor differences between
them might be settled by a conference
Of diplomats and peace restored. Ger
many has declared for program Of
mo annexation and no indemnities,
while the Allies proclaim that they dc
not pursue the war for conquest and
ask only the rehabilitation by the Cen
trail Powers Of the areas they have de-
vastated. But careful reading Of the
respective demands shows reserya-
tons and conditions on the part of
each that almost surely would prove
irrcconcilablc differences, and which
even if composed, would leave issues
that Il is the province of
this war to settle, and which would
rise again to drench the
world in blood 1t would be like the
Compromise in its relation 70
American slavery--an opiate that |
merely postponed and aggravated the {
inal struggle
What is the issue in this war? j.
{ Serbia's responsibility for the Sara
evo murders? That has been well
Ugh forgotten Is it Alsace-L Lorraine :! ,
'erhaps that figures as between
France and Germany, but no other
,ower involved would shed drop Of {
Hood over that bone of contention. Il
{ the violation Of Belgium's neutral =
ty? Only as that step evinccd the !
Iaturc that prompted il. Is il militar
SIN? Not in and Of itself, for all !.
,owers concerned are militaristic and 7
most of them can scarcely point ar r
ccusing finger at the other in this b
aspect. Is IL territory or money that
ither side Graves at the expense of
he other. Not to the extent of pro-
1nging the war a single day. 1
The one single Issue Of this war is
neither Prussianism shall continue its
lenace to the world or whether it o
hall be forever blotted out. This is a
plain, bald statement of bald, plain u
act. II does not mean that the Allies y
esire to conquer Germany, partition :,
among themselves and make its :
eople their subjects. They have no
ich purpose. But it means, if not the r,
ctual overthrow of the Hohenzol- to
rms, their reduction TO a state Of i'm q
otency that shall no longer threaten '
Their nations as they have done since ~
ieir early beginning as ruling dy- ,
asty. This need not necessarily be ~
by the Entente Allies 10
trough military conquest. 1t would .,
,fiice IL Germany herself were to re- II
ounce Prussianism and all that it n,
ands for. OF this there is little ap- Is
aren't prospect at present, or as long
Prussianism shows itself strong g
,ough not only TO dominate Germ ef
~ but To move on 70 conquest. Bat II
ere the tide TO turn and Prussianism
20 to wreck in the storm Of war
lough opposition lies latent TO il in
ermany to put il under foot and es- y
blish in its stead regime that
Guild command the respect and conf
nee Of her present foes and with :,
hich there would be not the slightest :" ~,
ouble in arranging a peace that a
ould leave Germany great and pow 10
full in the legitimate realm for which ca
atoms should exist.
What is Prussianism Why is it W
AIRED and abhorred7 Why can there 10
no lasting peace with it, Why viii
"a Allies fght on 10 tho last soldier ~