Perth Amboy evening news., 1918-09-16
MO PEACE

With the formal note of the Austro- Hungarian government sug.,
costing a meeting for a preliminary and nonbnd1ng discussion o.
war aims it may be considered that the great peace offensive II the
enemy, against which we have been repeatedly warned, as e sn
mncb more formidable than any previous drive of this kind, it must
be admitted that the first shock has startled the world N Is oens-
cred in a manner that cannot be ignored.
It must be remembered that Germany will stop at nothing !1sd o WIN af
the war. 1t makes no difference to her whether it IS a military Of
fensive ora peace offensive that brings about the victory, as long as
the victory is hers. With the German armies still lighting OF foreign
soil; with Belgium. Serbia and Rounmania and vast stretches OF Nus
STA overrun with German troops and under German domination; with
Austro Hungary, Bulgaria and Turkey completely under her inhu-
ence a a result of her military offensive, Germany can well afford u
- 800 of German tr;c<erv that the proposal for a
conference of all beligerents to consider peace should come from the
Austro Hungarian government. 1t is al effort to save the kalsers
face. When it comes to calling quits it is Germanys vassal that has
to pose before the world as the weakling-the one who has had
enough. 1t leaves Germany still in a position to swagger about In hr
customary defiant attitude, insisting that she is still unconquerable.
This attitude is emphasized by the insolent and insulting pro-
posal that Germany has made to Belgium, at the same time that her
vassaI proposes .h the gen general srnd peace @Soso d nsntra1fv -. Guaranteed bv all.
the powers of Europe, including Germany, a country that asked moth
ing but to be let alone-after being outraged, looted and burned, her
people made to suffer unspeakable crimes and then driven into slav-
cry, is now asked by Germany that, in return for the evacuation of
her territory, she should withdraw from the war, turn her back on
her allies and use her good offices to have all of Germanys colonies
Could any nation but Germany make such an indecent proposal
as thatY Is anything more needed to show the naughty arrogance of
defeat that the kaiser and his war lords now know they are facing?
It is plain that while Germany may desire peace, she is still
brazen enough to want to dictate the terms. Her efrontery even in
the face of disaster is most overbearing.
many, who has been riding r~oughshod over her enemies countries
Tor four years, would bring hostilhies to am end if she can do 50
own territory, as is about to be done. German soil must be kept
inviolate, the German people must not be made to suffer he untold
Serbia and Roumania. 1t i all right for others to feel the ruthless
hand of the war lords, but it is different when applied to Germany
As a matter of fact, Germany, even if overrun by the allied
armies, as she is bound to be if the war continues another year, would
never experience the outrages and barbarous treatment that those
who have been unfortunate to fall in German hands have felt. The
allies do not wage war that way. Civilization in America France,
Englaaa<and Italy has advanced further than a mere veneering of
The point is, are the allies, after four years of outrages and suf-
fering now, just as they begin to see the dawn of victory, to give up
and permit Germany. who is wholly responsible for it all, to escape
But then our civilization will not permit us to go on killing just
for the sake of slaughter. We n not so set on having our revenge
that we cannot listen to the cries of peace when they come to us.
All we want is assurance that they are made in good faith and we
It was not to be expected that Germany or Austria Hungary
would agree to any terms that the allies have suggested at the very
outset They have got to play their game as long as possible. They
at least must put up a bluff in asking for a peace conference, no mat
that with the handwriting SO plainly on the wall they will be willing
TO come to terms which re acceptable to the allies. AT least, we
without further destruction of life and property it may be done.
1t hardly seems likely that the Central Powers win agree to
what the allies will demand, but you never can tell. The one i'm
portant thing is to keep going at full steam ahead with the war until
a satisfactory settlement is assured.
President Wilson has set forth the demands of the allies in no
mistaken terms. The first thing is that Belgium, Serbia and Rou-
they have sustained. This must be accepted by the Central Powers
without any qualifications and a a basis for further discussions.
Every bit as important, however is the demand that the mill
tay power of Germany mnst GO This is to assure the world that
again; bt o me military power Il Germany TO be abolished means
that the House of Hohenzonern must go Is Germany ready to listen
make the German government responsible to the people instead of
Again. the allied powers, including the United States. have
recognized the Czech Slovaks a an independent nation. This means
the ACKNOWLEDGMENT of AustnaHungary. Is Austria ready to agree
to thatf =
Perhaps the Central Powers n ready to agree to anything
If they are, they are in much worse condition than we had supposed
Al least It will do no harm to listen to what they have to say.
As for the Allies, they have just begun to fight. The real Of
fensive for a military decision of the war was started with the
American drive at the st. Mihiel salient. That offensive means the
earryins of the war into Germany and the beginning of the end
OF German military power. 1t may be that the Central Powers will
abdicate now before there is further bloodshed.
There is only one alternative for them and that is unconditional
surrender. Either they must accept the terms of peace as dictated
by the allies now, or they must be forced to accept them later.
We are not TO be distracted from our one purpose of making
the world safe for democracy. Germany wanted war. she waited
until her own good time TO begin it. and she must suffer the full
consequence Of her rashness.
This is no time for a compromise peace.