New-York tribune., 1918-09-12
Administration Committed
to Complete Crushing
of Germany
Public Responding
To Capitals Stand
No Compromise That Will
Leave Huns With ILL.,
Gotten Gains Possible
By C. w. Gilbert

WASHINGTON, Sept. 11.-Baron
Burian's peace suggestions fall upon
deaf ears here in Washington. The
Administration is committed, in fact,
if not in theory, to a peace based upon
victory. And the same situation ap.
pears to be developing in Allied cap
itals, where war administrations now
have the upper hand over those ele-
ments which have been inclined to
listen to appeals such as the present
one from Austria.
Nothing is heard from Lansdowne
The Labor party in England is aversc
to trying issues with Lloyd George at
the polls. Marshal Foch's victories
have hardened the minds of ali the
Allied peoples, and certain diplomatic
developments, while not changing the
war aims of this country and the other
allies, have altered the prospects of
their accomplishment by anything
short of full military success.
German Defeat Only Way to Peace
Public opinion in America, as it is
reflected here, is coming to the con-
clusion that the only way to make the
future safe is by defeating Germany,
teaching her by a bitter lesson that
militarism does not pay. A great many
Of the ideas with which we entered
this war have been abandoned, and
among them the idea that any way
exists Of making Germany safe to live
with short of defeating her decisively.
Out of such an exchange of views as
Baron Burian suggests would come a
compromise that would leave in Ger
many's hands some of her ill-gotten
gains, some slice Of the East, some
profit to which her military rulers
could point as an evidence Of their
services.
If the Germans are winning they
have an argument for peace, if they are
losing they have an equally good one.
This present campaign of Burian's is
an effort to turn Germany's recent de-
feats to advantage. The argument
runs:
Huns Course of Reasoning
"We had victory all this summer
We almost overran France. We came
as near obtaining military decision
as any one is ever likely to come And
it ended in nothing. Empty is all faith
in arms as a means of deciding the
questions of this war. We have given
a great object lesson. Will you, our
enemies, spend next summer as we
spent this summer, pursuing that i'm
possibility, military decision?' ?'
Washington expects to hear much of
this appeal from Germany now that
Hindenburg is back upon his line. If
he succeeds in holding there, the sug-
gestion will be made that the deadlock
has been restored. that Foch is power
less to advance, that the Importance of
his recent achievements has been over
rated, since he was only pursuing a
force that was voluntarily retiring to a
line Of greater safety upon which it
could make stand that would render
military decision in favor of the
Allies impossible. The Germans count
now upon a check to the Allies and
upon the exhaustion of their spi,its
that will follow upon the end of Foch,s
victories.
The capital, however, has come n
believe in military victory and to
desire one. President Wilson has not
said that there must be peace with
victory, but his diplomacy is steadilv
beng shaped so as to require a peace
with victory General March has pre-
dicted military victory next year.
That prediction was one of the most
significant incidents in recent months
tor the General is not much given to
predictions That prediction had the
purpose just as Burian's prediction has
purpose. And the purpose of one is
the exact contrary Of the purpose of
the other. The Allies world is build
ing up a morale upon which the war
can be carried forward to a successful
conclusion. Baron Burian is trying to
tear down that morale.
Administration Committed
automatically the administration
has committed itself to a peace with
victory. The recognition of the Czecho
Slavs and the encouragement of the
Jugo-Slavs are steps in a policy that
requires a military victory The dis
memberment of Austria is now a part
of the Allied programme To that dis
memberment Austria will not conse,t
at council table. Baron Burian calls
it crime. Nor will Germany be anv
reader to see her one supporter in
Europe torn asunder than will Austria
herself. Only military victory will
make nation of the Czecho- -Slavs and
the Jugo-Slavs.
When President Wilson speaks again
it is believed that he will recognize the
changed conditions which make an at
tainment of Americas war aims un-
likely with anything short of military
victory.