The present policy of Germany is a curious mixture of underhand
diplomacy and boastful threats. If she desires to impress the neutral
States, she vaunts the great conquests that she has been able to
accomplish. She points out, especially to Roumania and to Greece, how
terrible is her vengeance on States which defy her, such as Belgium and
Serbia, while vague promises are given to her Near-Eastern
Allies--Bulgaria and Turkey--that they will have large additions to
their territory as a reward for compliance with the dictates of Berlin.
But, on the other hand, it is very clear that, as part and parcel of
this vigorous offensive, Germany is already in more quarters than one
suggesting that she is quite open to offers of peace. As every one
knows, Von Buelow in Switzerland is the head and controlling agent of a
great movement in the direction of peace; while lately we have heard of
offers made to Belgium that if she will acknowledge a commercial
dependence on the Central Empires her territory will be restored to her.
Similar movements are going on in America, because throughout Germany
still seeks to pose as a nation which was attacked and had to defend
herself, and is therefore quite ready to listen if any reasonable offers
come from her enemies to bring the war to a close.
The unhappy German Imperial Chancellor has to play his part in this
sorry comedy with such skill as he can manage. To his German countrymen
he has to proclaim that the war has been one brilliant progress from the
start to the present time. This must be done in order to allay the
apprehensions of Berlin and to propitiate the ever-increasing demand for
more plentiful supplies of food. Secretly he has to work quite as hard
to secure for the Central Empires such a conclusion of hostilities as
will leave them masters of Europe. And, without doubt, he has to put up
with a good many indignities in the process. "The worst of it is, I must
always deny having been there." Kicked out by the Allies, he has to
pretend that no advances were ever made. Perhaps, however, such a task
is not uncongenial to the man who began by asserting that solemnly
ratified treaties were only "scraps of paper."