Evening journal., 1914-11-28
The German Public Has LOHg Score
To Settle With German Diplomacy
lFrom the New York Tribunel

Dispatches coming out of Germany
through Holland have given consider
able publicity to an agitation in army
and other circles for the retirement
of Herr Won Bethmann-Hollweg from
the post of Imperial Chancellor. The
German press has been allowed to
take notice of this agitation and in
some cases to protest mildly against
IT, If the Chancellor possessed the
full confidence of the Kaiser and the
military party no criticism of his
craftsmanship would be permitted TO
appear in the press. It is ominous
for him that his dismissal should be
publicly discussed. It is equally
ominous that a Hague news agency
should announce that the Kaiser has
Just instructed Herr Won Jagow the
German Minister of Foreign Affairs,
to accept the designations of all the
diplomatic agents hitherto employed
in the countries with which Germany
is now at war.
AS the German people begin to
realize the true nature of the struggle
in which they are involved they are
likely to Judge more and more harsh
" the diplomatic mismanagement
which has isolated Germany and
compelled her to face so formidable
a circle of enemies. Most Germans
insist that the war was forced on
them But that does not blind them
to the fact that, whether the impulse
TO war came from their own side or
from the side of the Allies, they now
suffer from the effects of an incom-
petent diplomacy which has enor-
mously aggravated the disadvantages
of their own situation and enormously
eased the situation Of the Allies.
!. The Tribune has several times re-
viewed the blunders of post-Bis-
MARKHAM diplomacy in Germany. AT
ter the creation of the empire Bis
marck felt pretty certain of Ger
many's future. He believed that all
the empire needed was a chance tc
grow in peace. that it's vitality was
greater than that of France or of the
United Kingdom, and that its ef.
ficiency outdistanced Russia's. Sc
long as he could maintain tranquility
he was sure that Germany would hav,
her place in the sun" He wisely
steered clear of a policy which aimed
at getting forward at the direct ex
pense of the other great powers. HI
even encouraged France to so int
colonization schemes in Africa, no
envying her success there. but count
/ ing It as a further guarantee of peace
| full German development in Europe.
The post -Bismarckian school brok
with these ideas and went in for
! program of aggressive expansion, en-
failing friction with every rival.
interfered with French progress II
Morocco and drove France into per
manent anti-German alliance wit
Russia. Il irritated Great Britain b
its evident ambition to get control O
the seas. not as a measure Of self
defense. but as a means Of promotin
German aspirations to world power
Il antagonized Russia by encouragin
Austria-H Hungary TO violate the Treat
of Berlin and annex Bosnia an
Herzegovina at a moment when tn
Cars military strength was shattel
ed by the losses and Generalization {
the Japanese war.
In order to crafty the acquisitiv'
ness of Austria-Hungary, German
defied Great Britain. France and Rus
sia and thus laid firm the foundation
of the Triple Entente. Isolation ws