The Washington herald., 1915-05-30
THE OPEN FORUM.
In Which Readers of The Herald Express Their
Views on Current Topics.

Editor OF The Washington Herald: IL
the kingdom of Prussia. chief and domi-
mating state of the German empire. had
had statesmen instead of military mani
acs at the head of'affairs. it is more than
proba BILE that the hideous tragedy going
on in Europe would have been avoided.
In the minds of these military-mad peo-
pie. with the Kaiser at their head. there
seems to have been not the remotest
doubt that Italy would follow the lead of
Germany and Austria in making war on
France and Russia. as in duty bound by
the Triple Alliance.
While all the rest Of the world knew
that the Triple Alliance was a defensive
and not an offensive alliance. and Italy
was not bound by it under the circum-
stances of the case, the Prussian oil
garchy appeared not to know it. and
could not be made to understand the Ital-
| ian proclamation of neutrality. 1t was
beyond their comprehension. The Kaiser
himself sent word to the King Of Italy:
"Conaueror or conquered, l will never
| forgive your treason" And with singu-
| lar inconsistency he could not understand
why England should be bound by the
terms of the Triple Entente-also a de-
fensive alliance-and should enter the
ca pturing Paris and conauering France
in the thirty days schedule arranged by
him. and incidentally preventing him
from collecting another billion dollars
from that country as his grandfather had
done in lSio-l.
As a matter of fact England was in
deed bound by the Triple Entente; for
Germany was the first to declare war
and attack France. and she (England)
had sworn to stand by France in such
an event Had she failed to do so she
would have broken her solemn agreement
written in the terms of the Triple En-
tente. She had in addition a clear cause
for war (casus bellD in the violation of
the treaty to which she and Germany
were both signers. guaranteeing the safe
~ and independence of Belgium-an
agreement treated scrap of paper
by the Kaiser's government.
But what can be expected from group
OF war-craZed people, who, according to
a dispatch from Berlin, was greatly sur
prised at the Indignation aroused in this
country with so much feeling elsewhere.
over the sinking of the Lusitania? They
could not understand it. And now they
are greatly surprised at Italy in seeking
to recover the lost provinces of which she
was ruthlessly robbed by Austria in for
mer years and that she should now take
action To safeguard her future existence
4 -ainst the threat of the HohenZollern
madman Hard indeed would be the fate
of Italy as well as the rest of Europe
should the Kaiser become in reality
conQueror.
There seems to he something lacking
in the mental and moral makeup of the
Prussian war lords. They cannot De
made to understand the enlightened views
which the peoples of other countries nave
added to their civilizations. They appear
to have lost all sense of the eternal nj
ness of things in their militarLsm which
they call "Kultur" Not only statesman
ship but common wisdom seems wanting
among the men who have control OF the
destines of the German empire.
1t is possible now. if the remainder OF
the balkan states and Greece join battle
on the side OF the allies, AS seems most
likely. that some light will be let in on
the dark spots of the Prussian intellect
1t is to be dcvoutly hoped for.
H. u. Scale.