New-York tribune., 1918-10-14
Breaking Words

Breaking Words
Words reconcile the mind to the thing
discussed-and to both ends of it,
We are breaking words with Germany,
a criminal nation that has no word TO
keep or give or pledge. Peace talk fills
the front pages Of all the newspapers
and displaces the news Of victory. People
go to and fro asking one another if this
means the end Of the war.
Are we under the spell Of some sinis-
ter influence that stultifies the mind and
intimidates the soul? May we not say
once for all, with no diplomacy,
that we hate the Hun, that we mean TO
crush him utterly, that his hand is a
sinking abomination? He holds it out
for peace across sea on which the
wreckage of the Leinster is floating still
Lifted wet from that outrage it writes
to Us, accepting the terms laid down by
President Wilson for the Foundation of
a permanent peace Of justice" 1t writes
Of ~entering into discussions touching
the practical details of the application
of these terms" Of "the necessary ar
rangements concerning the evacuation"
and Of the present German governments
responsibility for this step toward
peace"
These are such words as one may re-
ceive from an honorable and chivalrous
enemy. They come from a people who
have dishonored every emblem of war
fare, who have violated every rule Of civ
ilized conduct, who, until they were beat
en-, knew no law but that of the barbara
ans might, and boasted Of it.
Yet it is only fair to say that we
solicited this offence. Only six days ago
the American government addressed n
note Of inquiry to the Imperial Chan
cellor" and to the Imperial German
government" asking them if they meant
to accept the principles of peace laid
down by President Wilson and whether
the object ain entering into discussions
would be only to agree upon the practi-
cal details Of their application" 1t was
said in that note, further, that "the good
faith of any discussion would manifestly
Powers Immediately to withdraw their
forces everywhere from invaded terri
tory"
These words, no less than those re-
turned by the Huns, are such as may
properly be addressed only to an honor
able enemy who can be trusted to respect
the decencies of human existence. The
Germans not only cannot be trusted to
respect them; they have proved that
they do not know them.
We come suddenly awake and find that
the American government is discussing
an armistice--is on the face of the cor
respondence obliged to recommend to our
allies an armistice--with q people who
upon the hideous doctrine of expedency
have broken every code Of honor, every
law and every treaty that stood in their
way
We come suddenly awake and read
that the Germans offer to give up
the war on the Presidents conditions of
peace, and the fear grips our hearts
that having won the war we are in dam
ger of losing the peace.
We review those conditions in the light
of their acceptance and they are open to
endless definitions. "'rhe London Times"
puts its finger ON two weak places in the
fourteen points 1t says: "They con-
tain no specific provision for any single
one of the manifold crimes. Nor do they
make any reference to the arraignment
Of the master criminals who inspired the
organized atrocities.''
The President has called for The ode.
slruction of every arbitrary power any
where that can separately, secretly and
Of its own single choice disturb the peace
of the world; but he has never called