Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1919-02-14
The Progress Of Peace.

The Progress Of Peace.
Dispatches Of the past week have been
bringing intimations Of disagreement,
dissatisfaction, and confusion abroad
more pronounced than have seemed to
exist previously, and the suggestion
has been thrown out with more or less
impressiveness that there may be an
early renewal Of the war, all this to
the very great concern Of large por-
ton of the people Of the world who
have been hoping that the great night
mare was about at an end.
The British newspapers are calling
very emphatic attention to the alleged
fact that the Germans have not been
carrying out the armistice conditions
according to agreement, and the Paris
correspondent of the London Daily
News says that he has authentic infor-
nation that Germany now has no less
than eighteen divisions concentrated on
the western front, under General Won
Hindenburs, and General Foch Is quoted
with what authority is not exactly
clear, as saying that the Germans could
muster 100000 men within the next
three months, against only 100000
that the Allies could bring against
them within the same length Of time
Also the French general Is given as
authority for the suggestion that If the
Allies continue their rehabilitation
while the German army Is being main
tanned at full strength, there will soon
er or later develop situation in which
the Germans will be able to say that
they do not care anything about the
league of nations and refuse to sign
the peace treaty.
AS to whether this situation is really
as alarming as 1t appears, or rather
would appear from such stories, 1t is
impossible to judge with entire satis-
faction; but at the same time 1t Is very
we'll to remember that by reason OF
official restrictions on the news there
Is no way in which the world at large
can be assured that it is getting the
full truth, and there are very many
and varied interests both in America
and abroad that would like to shape
things, some in one direction and some
in another.
Such was the situation in the spring
of 1918 that England and France
would have been very glad to have
agreed to a suspension Of hostilities
even on a basis of things as they stood
then, with the Germans in possession
of Belgium, a large part Of France, and
England virtually cut off from Egyp'
and overland roads to India, etc. with
both countries then 1t seemed like q
choice Of putting up with what had
been lost to save the complete loss OF
everything else, for there Is no doubt
about the fact that Germany had ev-
erything her own way, and was still
going with increasing strength and
power.
But with a reverse Of conditions
there has naturally come about a
change of hopes and aspirations
There is nothing more natural than
that France now should want to do 10
Germany what Germany was trying 70
do to her, or that England, which was
beginning to reconcile herself to con-
tinued supremacy in her own little is-
land. should now be aspiring to re-
sumo the old position with relation 10
the world that she had before.
The general purpose Of the uniteo
States as expressed by President VIII
son, was to overthrow the autocratic
government Of Germany. to restore
liberty and freedom to the various ma
tions as far as possible, to give to each
nation such government as a majority
of the people wanted, provided they
AID not want absolutism of the KIND
that existed in Germany and to, as far
os nossible, break up such govern
mental system as had been constructed
without regard to the wishes OF tne
different peoples who had been inciuo'
ed therein.
While there is no doubt OF the fac'
that Germany has been defeateo III
carving out her plans according u
nroeramme, or that things are appar-
entIv in shape for the realization OF the
nurposes of the United States with re-
gard to the whole matter, still anyone
wbo assumes that the world is now on
.n,ootb and easy road to final ano
comnlete settlement Of al! the trouple
10 Nursing that assumption Witnou'
reasonably comprehensive kno"ieose
nf the many probable contingencies VI
further trouble. ,.., we
LII we see the whole situation, we
.,;nL that there Is but small propapN-
~, that there will be renewal OF nos
t;iities on the part Of Germany. sucL
a thing is quite possible OF course; pu'
we hardly think it probaple: Altn1usii, 81,
Germany has not yet compned With a,' :
the terms of the armlstlce' she na'
eiven up her navy, including her SUI
marines. She has given up d larse pa
cent of the big guns, airpianes, rance
cars. automobiles, macnlne guns che sh q
the like requlreu VI 10 nos;tions
has given up various strategic posid cd ;
back to the Rhine that place nel a' q"
ditional tremendous dlsau'antaset stood
The United States, it is understood,
hoe not gone nearly as far in this war
&C either England or France Wanteu
her m TO 60. When the United States
occomp plished what she set out 10 ac-
comnIish. she permitted the armlstlce'
and began Withdrawing her forces;
hut hut as Premier Clemenceau said IN an
;nterview a few days ago, President
Wilson has promised that If the liberty
of France is again attacked the Unlted
States will return to the defense, ana
the most immediate probability OF re,
sumption of the war seems to depend
upon something like that.