New-York tribune., 1918-03-10

of returning to our old state of affairs,
especially if we talk of giving larger local
freedom to the subject nations within
our boundaries, the exhausted nations to
the west of US will be moved to accept
our terms.
Meanwhile, we are very much afraid
of what is going on in Russia. To the
German Empire and it's rulers it may
seem nothing but general breakup
which offers them splendid opportuni
ties of economic exploitation after the
war. But the majority of our subject
populations is Slav, and Slav popular
movements have always been very catch
ing. We look upon the progress of the
Russian revolution with extreme anx-
iety, not because we fear resurrected
Russian military power, but because we
fear the spread of anarchy among our
own Slav population.
Early peace is urgently necessary to
the continuance Of our state.'
Such l take to be the general attitude at
this moment of those who survey from
above or for their own interests the empire
of the Hapsburgs, which is not nation at
all, but a government.
Now, what about the Western nations?
The state that once was called Russia we
can eliminate. 1t no longer exists. Three
Western nations are the crux of the whole
problem. Have they been misunderstood
by the German authorities, and even by
the Austrians? Is their internal organi-
zatien stronger than the enemy imagnes?
Will it suffice to maintain the struggle un-
til the enemy is defeated? OVithout de-
jea5 and uictory on one side or the other
there is no permanent decision for Europe
at aU Any one aohe conceiues of per,ua-
nent peace n>ltheut it is liuing IN a avorld
Of Wusions.)
| cannot make so bold as to answer the
question directly, but l can, at any rate,
state how the problem looks to those who
are governing in the three countries
Strain Heavy
In Great Britain
To begin with Great Britain The mind
complicated organisation it is not only
political, but social and aristocratic; not
Only this, but highly commercial, and to
that extent cosmopolitan; not only this,
but financial, for London is the clearing
house of the world) seems to stand some
what thus
The strain is far heavier than we
thought 1t would be even year ago.
We are mainly an industrial country,
we are highly capitalistic and our social
arrangements were never made for such
strain. The strain is worse because
we are an island which lives by it's i'm
ports, both ot material and food, as
diver lives by his air tank
>"tInally, it is against US, in the shape
Of submarines, that the really heavy
offensive of the last few months has
been conducted 1t is we who, therefore,
have suffered the most rapidly increas-
ing pressure. Meanwhile, we have had
to irprovise vast armies and at the
same time act as q main workshop for
the whole West, and that by a spontane-
Gus and quite novel effort which those
ignorant Of our national character
would have thought impossible 1t has,
indeed, surprised ourselves.
Further, we have citizens (highly
national and not without a certain
moral elevation) who are quite ignorant
OF the mortal nature of war and who
preach persistently and rather loudly
of premature peace. Nevertheless, we
are confident that the nation will stand
the strain.
"Our confidence ultimately reposes in
this that there reside in Britain GER
tain latent silent and almost sub-con-
scious forces which are a sort Of great
reserve upon which the nation draws in
time of great peril. Our nation is lssa