The Dominion THURSDAY, APRIL 5, 1917. ONE WAY TO PEACE

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3046, 5 April 1917, Page 4

The Dominion THURSDAY, APRIL 5, 1917. ONE WAY TO PEACE

Looking at the -war situation as it takes shape to-day the fact should not be missed that the forces making for th6_ defeat and overthrow of German militarism are not solely external. As time goes on and the strain bearing upon- the Teutonic confederation is intensified tho possibility that _ the German people [may rise against the tyranny which haa made tEem the slaves of a military . machine assumes increasing practical importance. Some evidence has lately been supplied that the lessons of the time, aro not wholly lost upon the German people. One significant indication of i,a rising: .'spirit'of .revolt was afforded in tho recent stormy out- : burst of the members of tho Socialist Party in the Beichstag. The reservation is called for that noisy Socialist demonstrations in Germany are not always to be accepted at their face value. On occasion they havo been tolerated, or even encouraged, by the. Government for its own ends. But the outburst in question boro every appearance of being sincere. It was at all events in marked contrast to tho occasion of about a year ago on which the Socialist Party almost to a man took' active or passive part with the majority in the Reichstag in howling down Dr. Liebknecht when he boldly declared that the. German Government was responsible for tho war. Stirred already by the llusBian revolution, whatever _ revolu; tionary sentiment exists in Germany should be further and deeply excited by the American declaration of war which now seems virtually assured. The intervention of America will be a moral vindication of the Allie3 and_ condemnation of Germany to which' even tho German people cannot be wholly insensible and which may very well awaken in them an intensified repugnance and hostility to the autocracy which is driving them to ruin. The attitude of the German-Ame-ricans also carries a lesson for their compatriots in the Fatherland. Against soino expectations that had been formed, the German-American newspapers are declaring their loyalty to the country of their adoption, and assuring President Wilson that he need havo no concern about the loyalty of Americans of German ancestry. This no doubt is a more sweeping assurance than the facts warrant, but there seems no reason to doubt that the mass of Gorman-Americans will bo loyal to the United States, and that those who take a different course- will bo in a decided minority. One Ger-man-American journal declares its opinion that the German people might remove their kings and princes and adopt a more democratic form of government if they were assured of American support. It is nob at all unlikely, as events Si'o fconeKngj thaft this support m&y^

bo forthcoming, and in any case current ovp.uts in America, like the recently-afforded example in Russia, can hardly fail to operate as a powerful stimulus upon revolutionary sentiment in Germany. Only time and evonts will show whether _ the German people havo tho spirit aud resolution to take tho obvious way of escape from the evils they are ondunng and Bave inflicted upon a large part of the world, .but the influences making in that direction aro certainly powerful, and will be heavily intensified as time- goes on. Increasing privations and tho prospect of ultimate defeat represent, of course, not tho least powerful of these influences, though misery alono would hardly inspire a, people to revolt. Evidence is nob wanting that • tho German Government is keenly apprehensive of an internal upheaval. Such an apprehension has been olearly manifested in some of the articles circulated by the German publicity agencies. An example, recently cited by Mb.' Hilaibe Belloo, is conveyed in the message of a neutral journalist, who mentions that he_ has accompanied the German armies, and asserts that he is in touch with the very best authorities and is speaking for them. "In my opinion," he remarks, fighting may continue, the war is virtually ended now. It is more than likely that the terms of peace aro already under discussion. What the diplomatists are waiting for now is tho swing of publio opinion/ All_ the Governments have led up their people with promises of great Victories. They cannot now suddenly announce that the thing has failed. It can be safely said that every groat Government in Europe is now anxiously planning to eavo itself from its own people. Not being insane, both of the Alliances now see that a final or.real victory for cither sido .has become- impossible." This, of course, is the German point of view, and it is significant onough. ■ So far as it relates to tho standing of the Allies and to general prospects in the war, it can bo set aside las very wide of tho facts. The I thoughts of the Allied Governments I aro cortainly not turning to an inconclusive peace. Now that Russia, has set her house in order, it is possible to say that every Allied Government is solidly determined to prosecute the war to a victorious conclusion, and is backed in that determination by an overwhelming woight of publio opinion. The stalemate, theory also is'i exploded. Germany's present policy, notably her mad-dog defiance of the neutral World, shows that she has herselr no faith in K. But whilo these portions- of tho statemont quoted must, bo cast aside, there aro definite reasons for believing that the German Government, as suggested, is "anxiously planning to save itsplf fromits own people," and subservient' as the German people liavo been hitherto there are some grounds for" hoping that this anxious planning ot their Government may fail. It is perhaps hardly necessary to observe that a. revolution, and the constitution of a domocratio Government, in Germany, would not relieve the German nation of the responsibility of as far as possible mating reparation for the terriblo havoc it has wrought in Europe and further afield. Whatever internal reforms she may effect Germany will havoto .face a.settlement in accordance with ,thc Allied programme. But thore is no doubt that internal reform in Germany would at onco facilitate a settlement and tend to make it stable and lasting.