TaÌˆgliche Omaha tribuÌˆne. [volume] (Omaha, Nebr.) 1912-1926, 1914-12-21
Copyright Published BY permission
ofNL sun News Service.
Germany Al %ArnageddOn.
by Bernhard DsrnburB.

Al ho toola forth upon The weller
Of oonflBlan IN which the woFld's
Rfeatcat war has involved the civil.
cation of Europe the average Ameri.
can aFoyA apparently more aud more
bewildetcd. His first swim impress.
atom wal based entirely upon Rympa.
thy With the victims OF the horrors OF
war and those victims were placed
very conapicnously II the American
eye through the accident OF seogfnph,
zeal position. Lattery the American
lha been stirred by tales Of atroeity
in Che eastern theatre OF this conflict,
tales which reveal helpless German
women and children as the chief sui,
ierers from Cossack sayagery.
But sympathy whlia oreditahle as
an impulse, Il uf less importance than
a judicial attitude OF mind In deter.
mining THO relation OF facts to one
another whoa those faets determine
the supreme crisis in the annals 81
humanity. When we possess the es,
sential facts underlying this war In
Europe we d bestow our sympathy
intelligently and effectively.
[ appreciate perfectly the effect
upon the American mind of the tales
Of horror with which the world has
been filled throughout these last few
months Of war. I understand the at
titude of the newspaper reader Ia the
United States toward weaker nations
and helpless peoples. / realize the
sanctity in the American mind OF trea,
ty obligations. These considerations
account fully to me for that generous
Impulse which ranged Americans on
the side that first presented its case
and presented it with rare ability.
The sincerity Of this impulse caused
Americans, In fact. to forget for a
time the great inconvenience they
endured from the economic conse-
quenees OF so great a struggle. Ger.
many has not been the victim OF any
prejudice growing on OF the stoppage
OF exports or the collapse of industry,
There was a natural anxiety for hosts
Of relatives and friends exiled In the
theatre Of war. These things made
their impression. Profoundly, how
ever. was the impression growing out
OF the moral factors in the case. The
people OF the United States asked
themselves who could be responsible
for such a crime against humanity as
was comprised in the outbreak Of the
war. Whose oyerpswering ambition
took the world back to Napoleonismg
How heavily all the available EVIL.
dence was made TO tell against Ger.
many! Foremost as the champion Of
international honor stood England,
protesting against an attitude that
made q solemn treaty a mere scrap
of paper. Russia was introduced next
as the disinterested friend of helpless
little Servia. Austria-Hungary had
despatched a provocative ultimatum.
France, wounded already by the loss
of Alsaee-Lorraines was invaded to
promote : fresh scheme OF spolia.
ton.
The great Powers might have been
cast for parts in q tragedy BY Schit
Ter. 70 dramatic were the values. The
heavy villain was invariably Germany
The explanation is simple. England
had constituted herself stage mana
ger, taking the preeaution TO give
Germany a silent part by the obvious
expedient OF cutting her cable com
m~unication.
The device might have failed but
for the London censor. All thai
reached him from Berlin was con
seientiousIy edited o. conscientiouslg
suppressed. America was spoon fed
with English versions Of whatever
Germany had to say for herself. Judg
meut, ia the first few weeks Of the
war, went almost by default. At any
rate II was based on sympathy-yery
creditable sympathy - rather thar
upon facts judicially ascertained.
For these reasons ! purpose here t.
review the crisis Id Europe briefly
from the German point Of view.