New-York tribune., 1914-11-29
Military Caste Predominant.


We have watched with respectful M
terest Gcrmany's development on ne .
own lines with uonarchism, pateIha'
government, the divine. right OF kings
the ureponderant influence Of a milltarF
caste twho seem 10 believe with Non
Noltkc that "war is an essential cic-
rnent in Gods scheme Of the UNI
yerse") and form Of constitutional
ism which We regard as spurious. ms
sestom NAV lead 20. greater eidcicncy'
and il seems. as Prince Won Bulow mas
eyplained. TO suit the Germans. iheN
feel free under IT,
But We and VIC can answer TOT
France. Italy and America should not
feel free under IT, Il Is not our IDEAL
Of political liberty. Paternai govern
ment. "paternsl favour is repugnan'
TO US. We will not submit 10 any an.
thority except ar authority appointed
and control / by ourselves. The IRE
spousiblity of the German executive
is. in principle. no less opposed 20 our
ideas than Russian autocracy. The I'm -
perial Chancellor is : sponsiblc oniy 10
the Emperor who appoints him. anc the
Emperor is responsible only 10 God.
Among the differences between Ger
man civilization and that Western CIV
ilization Of which ours Is variety }
NAV note two which affect information
al questions.
Russia More Liberal Than Prussia.
1. One OF the features which have
characterized Western civilization since
the dissolution of the Holy Alliance
has beer .hc growth OF sympathy WITH
the spirit OF nationality and prevail
ing tendency 10 recognize the night OF
small peoples 20 enjoy political inde-
pendence. To the triumphs OF this
Drincipie throughout the niueteeuth
century England and France nave con
'ributed. and their help. moral or ma
,erial. has never been forgotten 10
Ttalv. delivered from the Austrian; in
Greece. delivered from the Turk. The
Russians have done more. perhaps.
than any other of The great peoples .u
the interest o. small nationallties.
They co-opcrated with France end Eng
land IN helping Greece; 10 them Servia
and Bulgaria owe their independence.
Prussia has never shown any sympathy
with the spirit Of nationality apart
from The national union of Germany
itself. No European nation mas %
thank Germany for aiding the fulh!-
ment Of its national aspirations. No
Pomeranian grenadier was ever sacri-
feed TO he'p a small people 10 inde-
pendence.
It's quite true that even IN the coun-
ellis of the Western powers the prin-
ciplu OF nationality has but slow Iy
made way. The difficulties in assert
ing IL have been immense. English
policy has been more than once untrue
TO the cause of oppressed peoples. But
since the days OF Canning the general
trend of British opinion and policy
has been unmistahable. The general
trend Of Prussian policy has been
equally unmistakable, and the coinci-
dence of its interests with Austrian in
terests during the last twenty years
has tended 20 confirm Il. In the key
stone of the power OF Austro-Iiungary,
as OF that Of Turkey. is the suppress
sion Of national aspirations. The i'm
mediate cause OF the present war was
a collision between the two principles,
and France and Britain. even if they
were not involved in II, would sym
pathize with Servia and the rights OF
1 indeDprdcnce for which she stands