The Greeneville daily sun. (Greeneville, Tenn.) 1918-1920, 1918-08-24
ENEMY PEACE ovERTuREs.

The prediction that the German government woul
begin peace offensive following the setback to Germa
arms is verifed by the outgivngs of DR. Sof, Germa
secretary Of state for the colonies Dr. sOf tries to tax
the place of Dernburg Kuehlmann and others who b,
eved they could mislead the public opinion Of allie
countries by sOphistries.
The usual fasehoods are uttered by Dr. sOlf concern
ing Germanys role in Russia He tries to make It appea
that Germany generously undertakes to look after tn
border peoples while they are in the twilight zone b
tween the darkness of Russian ignorance and the spendo
Of German kultur The inference he tries to convey
that Germany will turn these people loose when they ar
sufficiently enlightened He carefully refrains from max
ing any promisesnot that his promises are worth any
thing than the notorious promises of the German
government-but evidently because be is anxious Il
avoid embarrassment later when his promises might com
home to rOOst.
The most important part of Dr. Soils remarks is tina
which attempts to incite the independent" and nter
national" labor element Of Europe to demand peace b.
negotiation Recently the deluded socialists of England
again demanded international conference and appar
emily the German leaders think they see an opportunity
to divide allied opinion on this subject.
The gist Of DR.. Soils argument is that the time mus
come when peoples viii be so sick of war that they viii
turn away from all war doctrines and try to find basis
for restoration Of confidence; that confidence will ger
inmate and result in demand for peace spite of the
vindictive policy of governments The German propa
gandst then suggests that Mr. Bafour Brtans foreign
secretary fears such reaction toward peace and there
fore attacks not merely the German government but the
German people Thereupon Dr. Solf wines up his argu-
ment by saying, "our enemies do not want peace by
negotiation"
In that remark he is right, although the manner in
which he states it would make it appear that the allies
deaf to the call of the world for honorable peace
and bent upon the destruction Of Germany through
sheer blood lust 1t is perfectly true that the allies do
not want peace by negotiation The reason for this is
that there is honorable opponent with whom nego
tiate. peace treaty with ratlesnake would not be
worth while and peace by negotiation with armed Ger
many is just as dangerous and just as foolish.
This fact is so patent and has been made so terribly
clear by the shed blood Of tens Of thousands Of allied
victims, military and CIVIL that no one in the world
peace by negotiation" Yet there are in all the allied
countries elements which persist in the haucnaton that
somehow they may be able to patch up lasting peace
by negotiating with Germany These aements very
largely sociastic, and usually they colored with boil
shevismthat is, halfbaked "internatiOnalism" which
pretends that there is world community of spirits too
high and too fine to be bound down by the usual obga
tons of nationality Nkolai Lenne the Russian traitor
the ideal nternaonalist and his attempt to put inter-
natonaism into effect gave Germany easy victory
Russia. Now the Germans would like nothing better than
TO see bolshevsm spread through all allied countries
that fenzied Lennes would rise up everywhere and de-
mand "peace by negotiation"
Fortunately fools and traitors are In the minority
Germany made many foolish wise when she grasped
Russia by the throat at BrestLOvsk In the hour Of
victory over Russia Germany disclosed the frantic lust
for booty and power which drove her into this The
itching palm could barely refrain from cutchng Russas
wealth before the fraudulent treaty signed When
that infamous document finally signed, Germany pro-
ceeded to violate every article of it with rapacity and
cynicsm that amazed the world 1t is not too much to
say that the renewed vgor and determination of every
allle0 nAJlOn OaUeO Tue nOuT piVFcu
that the treaty of Brest-Litovsk was mockery.
The wise course for individual Americans to pursue is
strike down every who talks bOlshevsm and peace
Oy negotiation" Such either incurable meddlers
or German knaves They peniciOus busybOdies and
they retard the victory that America giving its blood
to gain They would make the herosm of American boys
vain and frivolous They would make every grave in
France goatng place for Germany They are enemies
Of liberty dastardy traitors to the flag, and richly de-
any punishment that the outraged public metes out
them If their numbers should grow and their activity
become more dangerous there viii unquestiOnably be
demand that the penalty of death be imposed upon them
Washington Post.
With the new registration coming within very few
days. there will be but few families in Greene county