Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-05-03
Gcrmany's New Peace Offensive

= ALkED in its drive for the channel ports
- ana decision, Germany is getting its
new peace offensive under way. That has
been Bcrlin's method since the war started.
Each time his war Juggcrnaut has been com
PEELED TO halt its wheels clogged by the flesh
and bones OF its own victims, the Kaiser has
made play for peace. Each time his pro-
posalS have fallen on unwilling ears. His
coming proposals will meet with n similar
Chilling reception, no matter from what oS-
tensible source they come and the fight will
go on and on, until al last plea for peace
that is made sincere by his own hopelcssness
and despair will come from him, and then
there will be peace, righteous and lasting.
Like other peace offensives in the past
notably the one following Germany's bloody
repulsc 1T Nerdun, that now on the verge of
launching Will not be honest. IT still is n
German-imposed peace that the Kaiser will
offer. 1t will be so phrascd and will bear
such outward marks of generosity as to catch
the ear OF the paCifist, and will seek to divert
the attention of the allies from their i'm
mediate object, which is victory absolute and
unQucstiOnable. But. shrewd as it will be, no
one will be fooled, and his latest effort will
go down to defeat just as have his other at
tcmDts to secure cessation of hostlites
which would leave Germany in Undisputcd
possession OF thousands Of miles OF plundered
territory in tho east, stalemated in the west.
and with time to get together another and
vaster war machine for still greater and
Ghastlier war.
The time has not come for discussion Of
peace. Germany is not honest and nothing
save armed force can drive honesty into her
soul. Checked in the west by the granite de-
Tense OF the allied troops, she is not yet de-
featod. Her losses staggor the inagna ton.
but her supply of human material is nowhere
near exhausted, and holes in her lines, torn
by hostile guns, will be filed up and the
battle renewed. How long she can stand the
frightful slaughter with spirit unbroken no
one knows. unless it be the general staff.
But inevitably the time must come when there
is no more blood loft to flow. Then. and only
then. will Germany be ready for an honest
peace. When that time comes the allies Will
make the terms. and the future peace and
safety OF the world and OF civilization will be
amply protected
The stage is being set and the long familiar
paraphcrn0lia is being busted off and made
ready for the new peace drive against allied
solidarity Pope Benedict is said to be pre-
pairing peace offer to he launched on May
10 Washington looks askance at this, be-
lieying Il merely German propaganda. Agents
OF poJsdam are busy in Switzerland laying
out the groundwork for the campaign, in the
allied countries It's long arm is reaching out
and setting its peace cmissaries TO work and
Emperor Karl o: Austria is trying TO scpa-
rate Italy from lis allies through separate
offer.
Germany never has been able to gauge the
allied heart and soul, any more than its gen
eral stat. has been able TO measure the
strength OF the armies opposing it. Its
blundcrs in the field ana in diplomacy have
been notorious, and another seems to Ae
in The making. Ge-nanys enemies stand
more solidly united today than they have
ever stood, and peace cannot come until its
.ol-err is changed 70 .plea."