Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-04-25
Wave of Depression Sweeps the
Country, Affecting Even
Patriotic Newspapers.
CALCULATIONS GO WRONG
Diplomats Are Censured for I'm
derestimating Strength of
Enemies.
ny rnEDnuIcK WERNER.


IN the strongly patriotic par, OF the
press The absolut. faith in ultimate
German victory has at lcas, temper
ariiy subsidized
TN" conservative Berlin paper. Der
Tag. writes that Germany is nov nav
ing dearly for tho lack Of foresight
and undcrestimation Of the enemy ON
the part Of German diplomatic repre-
s"ntauves abroad and statesmen at
home
we have made serious misca !cula-
lions everywhere, the paper saws.
We expected that all India would rise
IN open rebellion AT til" frs, sound
Of the guns in Europe and nvw thous-
ands and ten thousands Of Indians
are lighting with the English aEains,
us. We expected to see the disinte-
grafton of the british empire. bat tho
british colonies have come to the as
sistancc Of the mother country in q
way they have never done before We
expected q successful uprising in Brit
ish South Africa. and have seen moth
ing but hasco. We expected dis
orders in ireland. and. Instead. Ireland
has sent some OF her bs st men against
us. We believed that the peace a,
any price party was all powerful i'm
England. hut it has disappeared in the
general enthusiasm over the war
against Germany. We supposed that
England was degenerate and unf, to
become an important factor IN the war.
and she shows herself our most dam
gerous enemy
Fot Nd SAME: CONDITIONS
WITH Rt SsTA AND FRANCE
1T Was just the same with Russia
and France. ". thought that France
was corrupt, and had lost the sense
If national solidarity. and Nc now find
tho French 10 TO formidable enemies.
We though; that Russia could do moih-
ing "" considered ,hc Russian pcople
too deeply dissatisfied to fight for the
Russian government: We counted on
her disappearance as great military
power. But Russia has modified her
millions very quickly and very we'll:
her people are enthusiastic and her
strength is crushing
Those who have led us to commi,
these errors and miscalculations. VINO
have caused us TO despise our neigh
hors. have taken upon themselves a
terrible burden OF responsibility"
The koelnische Xeitung strikes a
different tone. but the subject i, dis
cusses-"hnt Will happen if Germany
does not wins in itself no, Il very
cXhiiaratinE one, though the conclu-
stons drawn are full of optimism
Even if a miracle happened and
England were able to impose her own
terms upon Germany. it would not
matter MS much as might he expected
for We Germans arc intellectually so
immeasura bly, superior TO the English
that the latter can never conquer the
German spirit. In science. Cor in
stance, Germany is at least a century
ahead OF England
FARMERS ASK PERMISSION
To DISCUSS PEACE OPENLY
Five great German societies OF farm
ers recently handed petition TO the
Rechstag asking tina, permission be
given the German people. who willing
~ bear tho burden of war to discuss
peace conditions openly
This behavior has been scathingly
criticized by II. Won Gcrlach, the we'll
known editor OF DE Welt am Montac.
who maintained that il tho Reichstag
granted this permission. il would show
lack OF confidence in Chancellor Won
Bethmann -Hollweg.
"Of course. | do not know how tho
Reichstac will treat this latc,. attack
son TO fear that a majority in the
ReiChstaE might he won over. for he
hind the FIVE organizations stand very
considerable parts Of tn" 'buercerlichc
parties, and the Socialists might. out
of respect for the phrase free dis
cussion,' take up u position which
would add strength to the desire of
the Pan-Gcrman party 10 force the
Chancellor out OF Office
In political circles hero it is con-
sidered quite Significant that influen-
tial French and English papers stimuli
taneously have limited in the most
cautious manner. OF course. that Ger
many might get back her colonies by
giving up Belgium.
There is q growing belief that when
the British commander in chief Cen
eral French. recently told "a reprcscn-
tatire of the Havas Agency he did not
think tho war would last long he
spoke more truth:ully than he knew.
The belief tina, Germany is still able
TO win n decisive victory over the
allies has almost completely disap-
peared among the more intelligent part
OF the German people But all are
convinced that during the next two
months Germany will be able to place
rs many new troops in the field as
the allies, or at least a sufficient num-
her to prevent these from penetrating
into Germany. This will mean an in
definite continuation of the present
stagnatiou.
In other words. both sides will come
10 the conclusion that 10 20 on would
mean the absolute ruin OF all Europc
To speak OF conditions in Germany.
the cost OF the war will very soon
have reached height demanding that
Germany's taxpayers will he burdened
with an annual expense OF ., 100, 900, 900
marks merely to pay interest and
amortization Of the debt of war and
pensions. This would he a very heavy
burden even II Germany were pros
porous, but II is simply impossible
Continued on Seventh Page.)