The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1914-08-14
Work=a=day Ger
mans Peaceful
War Lords of Germany Will Find They Have TAX
en- Too Big Bite and Many Good Men
Will Be Sacrificed

Manitoba Free Press: Only up
on the theory that the gods have
maddened the German war lords
unto their self-destruction can
the present plight Of Germany be
fore the world be explained. It
is too much to believe that the
average work-a-day German has
looked forward to such a war as
this or is in it now except by
tacit and in, the circumstances,
inevitable consent.
For years all attempts to in
flame the people Of the British
Isles against Germany, or to make
the British public believe that
the German people were enMous,
intriguing and designing, cherish
ing the one hope Of some day,
somehow, humiliating Britain,
have broken upon the rock Of
truth and saving common sense.
Wrapped up in the refusal Of
the people of the British Isles to
be stampeded into an indiscrimi-
nate Germanophobia has been a
keen appreciation. There is
probably no music case in Winni-
peg that does not contain pre-
ponderatingly the works of Ger
man composers. There is GER
tainly no Library in Winnipeg of
any ACCOUNT that has not upon it
shelves copious books by German
authors. To the store of science
and art the patient, plodding
German has added much. I'm a
round dozen Of German universe
ties work quietly world-famed
scholars, at whose feet the stu
dents Of other nations compete
eagerly to sit. The general
standard of education in Ger
many is proverbially high. One
could enlarge also upon many ex-
cellent features of German 'ad-
ministrative achieWement-city
planning, etc.
And yet this is the same ma
ton that today, in the full glare
of civilization, presents a mon
strous spectacle. Seemingly re.
solved upon high handed aggres-
sion from the very moment that
a petty dispute between Austria
and Servia loomed up, Germany
has gradually inflamed herself to
the point of declaring war upon
half of Europe and of pouring
her soldiers through territory
the neutrality Of which she her
self highly guaranteed. =.
What is the explanation? Sure
ly it can be none other than the
one We have already stated, the
madness of the German war lords
It is impossible to believe that
the German people would be in
their present plight had they not
tolerated all these years mill
tary autocracy which is seven
teenth century in is conception
and mental outlook.
ALL the head of this archaic
and vicious system has been an
emperor who has inveterately be:
lewed and energetically fostered
the idea of the divine right of
rulers. His madness has been re-
fleced throughout the German
cities in a pampered and arro-
giant soldiery. It has had its
counterpart in German society by
the presence of q dominating
military caste. Germany, in short
has tolerated the subordination
of the civilian to the soldiera
condition which sooner or later
must end fatally, as all history
proves.
For Germany the hour has
come. What her own people
failed, to accomplish will now, 1t
seems almps+ certain, be brought
about by the instrumentality Of
her neighbors. Germany's mill
tary autocracy, the feudal idea
by which the emperor and the
chancellor dictated to the repre-
sentatiNes o. the people, will, in
the event Of Germanys defeat,
receive short shift. And this
4 q So -