The Washington herald., 1915-07-26
GERMAN UNITY
HAS been SPLIT
Socialists Do Not Favor Often
sive War and Territorial
Annexations.
PRESS IS SUPPRESSED
Frankfurter Zeituns Explains Trench
Defensive Maximilian Harden Says
Russia Will Recover from Paralysis.
By FREDERICK WERNER.

By FREDERICK WERNER.
Berlin, july 2S.-The marvellous
feeling of solidarity and unanimity of
the entire German nation. the abso-
Lutte and instantaneous disappearance
Of all political party strife which in
August of last year aroused the ad-
miration of unbiased people all over
the world unfortunately for Germany
appears to be in danger. II cannot
be concealed that it is the ultracon-
servatives and the militarists behind
the government who are to blame for
this.
When the Kaiser last year needed the
full support of every German patriot.
even IL he be a socialist. he assured his
people through his chancellor that the
war into which Germany had been forced
was to be no war of conquest, and on the
strength OF this promise all socialist OPP
position Immediately disappeared.
Since then times have changed. The
German armies have fought In a man.
ner which has aroused the admiration of
the world, and even in British papers l
have seen it admitted that no nation in
the world could put up a fight as Ger
many, surrounded by enemies on all
Sides has done.
Aside from this, however. the war has
not gone as it had been hoped 1t would
and Germany. though still more than
holding her own. has suffered enormous
ly financially as well as in blood Ger
tain sections of the press have long been
asserting that to make up for these Ger
many must enlarge her frontiers and an
mex territories whose peoples would
rather die than become German subjects.
Nation Not . Unit.
The result of this has been more or
less open protests in the socialist press.
Papers have been suppressed, and con-
fiscated time and again for expressing
these sentiments and at present the Ger
man nation can no longer be said to be
a absolutely united as 1t was at the wars
beginning.
1t has been said that Chancellor Won
Bethmann Hollweg's official head Is be-
ing asked for because he opposes the
annexation of foreign territory and de-
sires to keep the promise which brought
him the support of the entire Socialist
party last year. but this statement, / am
in position to say, is not true.
When the chancellor on May IS as
serted that he was in full accord with the
Agrarian party. he had received four
manifests from this and other ultra con-
sentative parties in which he was plain
ly informed that these would con-
clude peace only on the following con-
ditions. which formed an absolutely ir-
reducible minimum demand:
/. All German colonies must be re-
turned and Germany must be given be-
sides the entire Belgian and part Of the
French Congo.
.. The permanent annexation of Bel
river of Somme. the copper mines at
Verdun. as well as the French Moselle
canals. In the east. Prussia and Silesia
and an enormous cash indemnity from
each Of the principal hostile countries.
The Agrarians no longer make any
secret of these demands. They will meet
with strong opposition on the part Of the
Socialists. who have continually de-
nounced a war OF conquest and peace
which bears within itself the germ of q
new war.
Only Aim Is to Hold Lines.
The Frankfurter Zeitung finds it nee
essary to do something to allay the crit
icism OF Germans who are finding fault
with the general staff because of the
long stagnation of the western front.
"Clausewitz. the old Prussian master
Of strategics." the paper writes. calls
defense the most powerful form Of war
fare. as 1t consists In holding what you
have and gives to the defensive many
strategic and tactical advantages which
the attacking party does not possess.
1T is we'll known what caused our
in the west to dig them
selves in and carry on a trench war. 1t
was certainly not weakness, and each
day that passes without any gain to our
adversaries, each man that they lose in
the attack represents a gain to us. Our
own losses are not vain as long as our
lines hold. for our only aim Is to hold
them"
The article has been sharply criticised
because it appears to indicate that Ger
many has given up every hope of new
offensive in the west.
Ruasic Will Take Offensive.
Macmillan Harden has once more
spoken with his usual frankness.
in the west" he says, neither side
e advancing because an attempt to do
80 would mean the. perhaps useless. sac
-ifice Of at least 100, COO lives. In the east |
he Russians are temporarily paralyzed. |
ou: with their enormous reserves they |
will be more than able to take the offen- |
i've again this fall OF all the combat |
ints Germany has the strongest army. |
he most powerful technical means of
warfare. the most warlike spirit.
THE hardest test. however. Will come |
o US during the second year Of the war.
md that may not even be the last. II
Germany persists in believing that she
an continue fighting Russia. France and
England the peace will be merely an
Lrmistice."