East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1918-03-07

University of PittsburghD
Most insidious and most disastrous
tore the current widely circulated ru-
fmors of early peace. They seem to
isprink out of the earth or to come
! down out of the clouds. They are
Fflying about everywhere. Naturally
tpeople welcome them, repeat them,
fgire them wider currency They tit
In perfectly with what everyone ar
fdentlY desires, and seem to give
something upon which to base hope
Rand expectation.
Nevertheless, they are vicious fab
frications, of suspicious origin, and are
fcunningy designed to lessen the ten
sion of activity ana to diminish pro-
fductivity, AS human nature is, men
twill not DO their best when they are
in doubt as to whether there is need
to do at all Even careful lawyer
VIII prepare his case for trial half
heartedly if he imasines that the case
will be settled out of court and never
come to trial. Every man win do his
utmost only as he believes with all
| his heart that his work is necessary
/ Il the war is to be won. Baseless ru-
mors of near peace inhibit effective
/
ultimately paralyze endeavor. They
are most dangerous. Carried far
enough they viii be fatal
/ The American people are tempted
| to count too much on war weariness
in the central powers. Forget it.
| War weariness does not count Mill
| tary discipline does Strikes in Ger
| many mean nothing so far as peace
Fg I'd
a single story Of war weariness in the
central powers, of any serious threat
to quit work, of any revolt against
! governmental discipline. of any in
| cipient revolution, of any story of de-
/ pleted food supply, as reason for
his failure to sacrifice, to toll to deny
amself, is falling into the snare set
for him by very cunning and design
ing and astute enemy. 1t is time for
the American people to quit permit
| ting themselves to be fooled.
No Sign of Wanting Peace.
Remember that Germany has given
no sign that she wants peace. She
| has indicated the reverse in thou
sand ways-but never this. Search
| for single uttered word Of regrets
any note of repentance, any sugges-
| zion of defined terms on which an ac-
ceptable peace is possibility and
| thc search is vain. Germany stands
today the same insolent, braggart.
domineeEing nation She was on Au-
/. gust /. 1914. Germany is proud of
her program of violence: murder. ra>
1ine, burglary. violation of law. civil.
| International humanitarian, and has
no regret for any part Of the program
thus far. She announced her deIiber-
ate purpose of world domination. her
intention to carry it out by war ana
10 fight as many wars as might be
necessary until the program IS COM
plete. She has given no sign or in
| ention to abandon this program OF
,orce. Until she does. it is folly for
| m American to give a second thought
to any rumor of peace The only
thing which viii persuade Germany
10 abandon a policy matured by years
Of patient toll and put iat0 actual OPP
GRAFTON at the precise urueut which
5cmed most sure of quick SUCCESS. is
o force her to abandon IT, Peace
IAN not eoma-the only peace the
World can afford to accept
- Until Germany is thoroughly
thrashed and until her ability to car
" out her program OF power is for
ever destroyed. The only way to con-
rert bully is to knock him down.
Delights in Military Glory
The President has spoken it II
,iermany We're content TO be an equal
among equals no nation would be-
5rudge her prosperity progress.
greatness. wealth-preeminen in
Iced in all of these. Unfortunately
Germany alone among modern ma
Ions aspires to supreme power
through military force. she was not
wen content to get it through COM