The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1914-08-15
LIFE AS nation
GERMANY SSTAKE
ASSERTS RIDDER
Editor Gives Teuton S View
point IN Editorial in New
Yorker Staats-Zeitung.
WAR ONE OF THE RACES
Supremacy Of Teuton or Slav
to Be the Outcome. He
Declares.
KAISER NOT A aWAR LORD"
Years in Coming. Struggle Was
Forced Upon Germany. and She
Is Fighting for Existence.
KAISER NOT A "wAR LORD"

New York, Aug. l-In today's issue of
the Staats-zeitung, in an article over his
own signature. Herman Ridder, editor OF
the paper and one Of the most promi-
nent and influential Germans In the
United States, defends Emperor William
and the German Empire in its wars
against Russia, France and England.
The article is the first OF q series which
iyin present a view OF the European war
and It's causes through German eyes.
In part, Mr.. Ridder says:
Il realize that II is dificult to obtain
fair idea of the real situation by read
ing the English printed daily New York
press. I DO not pretend that my view
point Is entirely unprejudiced. My sym
pathies are entirely with the Germans
and Austrlans
Every Teuton knows that Germany
and Austria are fighting for their very
existence- It is quite clear to the German
mind that this is a clash in which either
the Teuton or the Slav will impose his
civilization upon the greater part of Eu-
rope. The struggle has been many years
in coming.
Did Not Want War.
Germany did not want war. The pic
ture of the Kaiser as a bloodthirsty war
lord is arrant nonsense. The kilograms
that passed between the Gar and the
Kaiser show so far that the German En-
peror wanted to preserve the peace of
Europe Further, to assume that the En-
psror declared war in the present in
stance against the will of Germany Is an
absurd assumption. Germany is a milk
tary nation.
Germany, whether successful or not
must make terrible sacrifices and stand
tremendous losses.
This is not war Of conquest It h
not a Napoleonic war to satisfy the per-
sonal ambitions Of an emperor. It is
defensive war for = the German nation,
with their national life at stake
England has been Jealous of Germany
and her commercial triumphs for more
than generation. France has adver-
tised her loss of AIsace and Lorraine
until the whole world has accepted her
sentimental attitude on this question.
Russia, since her setback by Japan, has
been looking westward for an outlet TO
the sea, It is very difhcult TO forecast
the outcome OF what may prove the
greatest war In the history of mankind.
Part of National Life.
Emperor william is part Of the ma
donaI life of Germany, but by no means
the all-important part. The role he plays
in the commercial, artistic. and military
life Of Germany Is in direct proportion
TO his personal magnetism and his per-
sonal ability. Had Germany been under
q Republican form Of government war
would have been declared just as quick
ly."
In this reference to Russia's desire
for an outlet to the sea on the west.
Mr. Ridder does not overlook the fact
that Russia already has an outlet of an
nature. Russian mer-
chAntmen and warships travelling west
ward from the Baltic must pass through
three narrow waterways, namely. the
Skager Rack, the Great Belt, and the
Cattegat. These enable q foreign power
easily to bottle up her commerce.