The Washington times., 1914-08-07

The European war broke into the
calm of our summer quick and un-
expected, but still quicker and still
more unexpected by any lover Of fair
play was the vehement turn Of the
American press for the Slays and
against the Germans. Whatever Ger
many or Austria did was seen
through the spectacles OF the enemy.
Their motives appeared tainted, their
actions against the rules of the
game, they had no just cause and
no morals, they were not worthy of
American sympathy.
The average American reader has
no idea how much anti-German feel
ing is infused into the so-called facts
which are sent over the ocean. He
sees that the news is dated from
Vienna OF Berlin and he does not
know that most Of the American
correspondents on the continent for
many years have been enthusiastic
Englishmen, who serve first of all
their home papers.
But does the news at least find fair
play when it arrives? What the
French or the English government
proclaims stands gloriously on the
first page; what the German govern
ment replies is hidden somewhere in
q COIncr VI lLe HILL " ucl EuSlaIlQ
tnterprets German action in LuXem-
burg as the violation of agreements
st is told in inch-large letters; when
Germany proves that il had the right
II comes out in the smallest print.
Yet even the kind of news which is
dumped on US does not Justify the
editorial temper with which espe-
cially the New York papers appeal
to our sense of superiority over
medieval Germany. Typical is the
way in which the decisions and deeds
OF the emperors are always treated
as IL they were purely personal auto
cratic caprices without inner con-
tact with the national life. This bet
ter than anything whips up the
democratic spirit Of the new world.
/ Kaiser Power For Peace.
Is it really possible to doubt that
Emperor William desired aothins
but honorable peace with all the
world? For twenty-five years he
has been the most efficient power
for European peace. He has done
more for 1t than all the European
peace societies together. and, how
ever often the world seemed at the
verge of war. his versatile mind
everted the danger. He knew too
well, and the whole German people
knew too well, that the fncompar-
able cultural and Industrial growth
of the nation since the foundation
of the young empire would be horri-
bly, threatened by the risks of war.
No: this time every effort was in
vain, and all good will for peace
was doomed because the issue be-
tween the onrushing Slavic world
and the German world had grown to
an overpowering force The struG
gle between the two civilizations
was imminent. and where such a hic-
toric world conflict arises the will Of
individuals is crushed until they
Eerye the will Of the nations. The
Slays of the southeast, the Servians.
had defeated their oppressors, the
Turks. II was inevitable that their
new strength should push them to
ambitious plans.
IL was necessary that they should
aim toward a new great Slavic empire
which would border the sea and en-
brace Austria's Slavic possessions.
That had to mean the end of Aus
tria. the crumbling OF its historic
power. Such an inner. passionate
conflict. such an issue Of existence.
must lead 20 explosions. But IL was
no less historically necessary that
the largest Slavic nation. the Rus
slams, should feel that Servia's cause
was their own. Russia knew we'll
that while II had recovered from the
wounds Of the japanese war the
Slavic strength was still unequal 10
that OF the German nations. but It
knew also that il could rely on
Frances latent longing to revenge
itself for Alsace and on England's
grumbling jealousy of the great Ger
man rival in the worlds markets.
AT last the chances seemed splendid
to strike the long delayed blow Of