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Show ministriei snug and cosy far from the battlefront If victory is theirs, there will be no small gains for the warring powers to divide. Peace Hopes Dim HOPES for immediate peace in North China have had a severe jolt with Japan's latest announcement that discussion is impossible until it haa assurances that the Christian dictator, his clever wife, her sisters and all their relatives completely disappear from any and all official posts in the North China government. That is as much as to say that Japan will be willing to cease firing now and rest up from past exertions while a peace is patched up. And that is as much f to aay that "this Chiang person ia too smart for us to be fooling around China while he runs the show." And it ia not altogether a waste of time to speculate upon what Japan might eventually even-tually do after North China't government became be-came disorganized and leadership destroyed in the north provinces. Treaties, pledges and agreements agree-ments with China and the other nation would not stand in the way. Japan's newest demand is equivalent to insisting on award of victory not won. On the other hand. China declines to enter discussions without assurance that the Japanese would be required to evacuate Chinese territory terri-tory which is equivalent to offering a peace treaty provision before the peace conferees have assembled. An armistice, which is only a cessation of hostilities as a prelude to an effort to bring about peace settlement, would give Japan the right to continue to occupy Chinese soil pending an acceptable solution. China evidently had this in mind when she demanded what must be regarded re-garded as a premature assurance from a peace commission neither assembled nor organized. So each side in the conflict has interposed insurmountable difficulties to block the best intentions of the Brussels lt-power meet What can it do but adopt resolutions of mutual congratulations con-gratulations and express its regrets to Geneva that circumstances beyond its control prevented it from carrying out its mission? Among these may be mentioned Hitler's shrewd coup in offering Germany's good offices to effect a peace arrangement. So far there ia no official and formal announcement that the offer to mediate haa been made or accepted. There could be no mediation under the terms both warring nations have announced as unchangeable. Unless some statesman of a type which seems to have disappeared from the earth comes upon the scene in this crucial hour with an unexampled unex-ampled peace formula, what is in prospect except a war of exhaustion? Should there be such a man arise, standing at his side as a powerful power-ful ally would be Winter with his cruel punishments punish-ments reedy to unleash against the opposing armies in their trenches. Against his assaults, how long may the "implacable wills' of war lords prevail against the desire of the fighting men to return to their firesides and kin, against mutinies and desertions? Tha theater of operations is in hard, rugged and comfortless country. The soldiers on both sides are steeled to defy and to meet death in . the insane thrill of action, to endure grievous suffering until the litter bearers come. Are they as well prepared to stand by and see Death stalk among them with his orderlies. Pestilence, Hunger, Filth and Cold cold that freezes flesh, marrow and blood, that stops the pulsations of their hearts? Of such things as these, -too. is fashioned tha Glory of War! Winter and Human nature are relentless foes of the armies in the field, and of the |