Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-10-04
Regarding an Early Peace

l. T would be cruel to deny q suffering world
the hope Of an early end Of the bloodshed
and sorrow and agony now visited upon it.,
but it would be more cruel to buoy it with
false hopes. There are many millions OF
fathers and mothers and wives who are scan
ming every days news with an intensity which
shows how prayerfully they are searching
for some sign that the end is near While
1t would be unfair to them to rob them of
tile thought that the sickening scene soon
may pass from their view, it would be brutal
to encourage that thought ii the circunl-
stances of the war do not justify it.
That peace is apprecably nearer than it
was before the fall of Bulgaria goes with
out saying. The sudden collapse Of that bel
ligerent constitutes Il break in the strong
chain OF the central powers. 1t no doubt
presages Il similar debacle in Turkey, now
cut of from its allies and relentlessly as
sailed by hostile armies. BY these defcctions.
Austria is exposed to assaults which seemed
impossible from military standpoint few
weeks ago. That nation. stabbed in the back,
rent by discussions at home. hungry and
weary Of the futile sacrificing of her men
and her treasure may not hold out a great
while
These are facts and possibilities of the
greatest moment That they have or will
have the effect Of Fastening Germany's de-
feat is too evident to need emphasis. Great
armies will be released for activity in other
theaters. Sources OF re-enforcements for the
German armies will be cut OF. Depression
more acute than any that has yet seized the
German people necessarily will prevail from
end to end OF the German empire. All this
can be assumed with the utmost safety
If all that is granted it is not enough in
itself TO end the struggle. This war cannot
be brought to conclusion until the Ger
IN lie
achieved in one or two ways 1t might be
brought about by applying enough military
pressure to overwhelm it after driving it
from celqucred soil. Or it might come 10
pass through breakdown of the support
which the millions of German people behind
the line are giving it. 1t cannot be blotted
from the equation by the desertion OF Ger
manys allies.
SO far there is no indication that the Ger
man people are preparing to surrender. They
are standing by their criminal government
and holding up the arms OF their men in the
field, and those men continue to fight They
are not making war with the same spirit, the
same grim determination or with any meas
ure of the success which marked the earlier
years OF the war, but they are lighting never
theless, and as long as they stand on the
"Vins Nne ~ war must so on. 1t must go
on bitterly, determinediy and without thought
or suggestion of compromise
Because of this fact, peace is not yet in
sight. 1t is not as far away as it was 1t
may even be within the range OF the i'm
mediate future. There are many authori-
ties who are convinced that it will end with
the same startling suddenness with which i,
began, but it is far safer TO assume that it
VIII go on probably for many months-cer-
tainly until the great military machine OF the
enemy is rendered powerless