Utterances of various Socialist leaders and newspapers in Germany in
favor of peace have recently filtered out of Germany, and have aroused
considerable interest. The German Socialists differ materially from the
Socialists of many other countries, in the fact that they constitute
a recognized and responsible political party which has a large
representation in the German parliament. The idea has widely prevailed
that the German people were absolutely united in favor of carrying on
the war to the point of “world domination or downfall,” but now we find
men and publications of influence deprecating the idea of conquest
and annexation of territory, or an invasion of the liberties of other
peoples. They declare that the mass of the German people want peace,
and that Germany’s military victories place the German government in a
position to negotiate peace with justice and honor.
Whether these utterances represent any deep or widespread sentiment in
Germany, we have no means of knowing. But their publication serves to
inspire a hope that the implacable purpose of Germany to carry on a war
of conquest has been exaggerated, and that discussion of terms of peace
might not be premature even now, if some feasible plan were presented.