New-York tribune., 1918-09-16
NeU Peace Balloon
Sent Up by Huns Is
Best Inflated OF All

Of ali the distendcd peace balloons
that have been launched by the Cen
tral Powers, none has been SO carefully
prepared and for none have hostile
wind gauges been more eXpertly tested
than for the suggestion made through
Austria Hungary for mon -binding'
discussions. For weeks every resource
of the Teutcnic alliance has been
drawn upon in increasing measure to
prepare the way for the "political
cffensive' of which the Austro uun-
garian suggestion is the opening shot.
Like all previous peace efforts, the
present one is being conducted and has
been prepared for with keen eye on
internal conditions in each of the Cen
tral Powers and the bonds between
them, as we'll as on their foes and upon
neutral nations. Upon the German
people has been impressed the fact
that Germany is fgnJlng to defend the
fatherland from invasion by overpow-
cring forccs; upon Austria-ll Hungary
the fact that the Central Powers have
been at all times ready for an "honor-
able peace; upon Germany's enemies
at the Kaiser nights in sorrow, not
in hatred, and upon the dwindling neu-
tral world the picture OF a solely bcset
Germany fighting for existence.
A Flood of Pacific Views
To this end the German press, the
German radicals, German statesmen,
German generals, German royalty it.
sc.f, have been recruited. Throughout
the latter part Of August and all of
the present month the iioodgates have
been lifted, little by little, and day by
day there appeared more frequently
accounts Of TIE pacific views expressed
by Or. w S. Solf, the German Colonial
Hintze, Count Czernin, the former
Austrc Hungarian Minister of Foreign
Affairs; reports Of coming changes III
the German government. with Solf,
Philip Scheidemann, the Socialist. and
Matthias ErZberger, who has beoE al-
he'd with Scheidemann against the mil
itarists in power.
At the same time extraordinary lati-
tude was allowed to the German press,
which, with unanimity, proceeded to
criticise Chancellor Won Hertlng and
discuss the proposed electoral re-
forms. Permeating the entire "poht-
ical offensive" preparation was the
voice of the nilitary-Admiral VOL.
Nintze, Ludcndortf and Hindenburg,
and even the Crown Prince, joining in
a ltfH!tliuVuo anu COIUpllCdltC clOiL W
impress the German people with the
gravity Of the military situation with
out admitting defeat or arousing fears.
No Longer Peace by the Sword
For it was no longer peace by the
sword. hut peace by negotiation, while
It still had the wherewithal to nego-
tate, tnat Germany now desired, and
nation and world which the Kaiser
had informed in February. 1918, "the
German sword has prepared the way
for peace must now, without humbling
the pride of Prussia, be convinced Of
the sentiments expressed by the Kaiser
this month: "The military and moral
strength and the unanimous determine
tion of the German people must and
will succeed, with Gods help, in break
ing the more and more openly mani
Tested Will to destruction OF the enemy
who is charging upon us from all parts
of the earth"
No effort was spared to convert the
German people from the carefully in
culcated peace by the sword faith to
the last stand iirmness. encouraged
meantime by hints of quick peace and
electoral reforms.