New-York tribune., 1918-06-28
Goat Won kuehlmann

Via Switzerland and Holland we hear
that the pan-Germansts are enraged at
Herr DR.. Won Kuehlmann, the Kaiser's
Foreign Minister, for having said in his
Reichstag speech that the end of the war
could hardly be expected through purely
military decisions alone, without re-
course to diplomatic negotiations. 1t is
rumored that for this betrayal Of the
thought of victory by Prussian arms he
may be asked to resign.
Our guess is that nothing of this sort
is likely to happen, unless, indeed, it was
deliberately intended beforehand that
Won Kuehlmann should be sacrificed in a
peace offensive.
Consider, first, how extremely improb-
able it is that the Foreign Minister
would take it upon himself to announce
Germany's peace terms. His speech
must have been solemnly passed upon by
the government before it was delivered.
In the analysis which we printed yester-
day we proved that it contained demands
and conditions beyond any proposals
hitherto presented in the name of the
German government, yet, owing to the
subtlety with which the preposterous
terms were suggested, the speech pro-
duced upon the ear and upon the SUPER
receptive mind the impression of being
conciliatory. That is precisely the effect
that was intended. The part which is
said to have so enraged the military
maniacs in Germany is the very part
which has been treated by large section
Of the Allied press as a symptom of
emerging reason. That was the sugges.
tion that diplomacy should intervene to
end the war.
But now consider the case from the
point Of view of the German Foreign
Office. A peace offensive is to be
launched. 1t has to be shouted, as Won
Kuehlmann says, from the speakers
tribune. 1t is to be heard by the enemy.
Therefore it must seem to be concilia-
tory. 1t will be heard also by the German
people. Therefore it must be suggested
to- them either that the terms they hear
proposed are not what they seem at all,
or that the minister who has announced
them misrepresented the sentiments of a
victorious government. In fact, both
means have apparently been employed.
The Imperial German Chancellor fol-
lowed the Foreign Minister on the
Reichstag tribune. He spoke to the Ger
man people. He repudiated the thought
of peace by negotiation. He had himself
made advances in that direction. He had
even considered President Wilson's four
principles of peace, but nothing came of
such condescension, and there was no
object "in spinning any further the
thread there started" AS for the For
eign Minister, whose statements, some of
them, "were given more or less un-
friendly reception in wide circles" he
was only clearing up history, and the
tendency of his utterances twas purely to
ascribe responsibility for the continue
tion and prolongation of this terrible
war;" And, at the same time, to make
sure that Won Kuehlmann's speech should
have no i'll effect upon German morale,
certain papers were allowed to denounce
him loudly and suggest his resignation.
There is really no contradiction in this
situation. The proposal to put down the
sword and have recourse to diplomacy
with Certain degrees of mutual conf
dence in one another's honesty and chiv-
airy as Won Kuehlmann said, was for
effect upon the outside world, but at the
same time the thought of military vic
tory had to be sustained in Germany
against the probability that the peace Of
fensive would fail.
The Germans know themselves. Pre-