New-York tribune., 1915-10-31
The Strong Hold Which Prussia
To the Editor of The Tribune

To the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir, That il is not the Germans in the
trenches. the Germans at the front, tnat pre-
sent the hardest problem of this war mas
become clear 10 more than one member OF
tho coalition fighting Germany Far more
dangerous than tho foe at the front has oeeh
found the domestic foe-the Germans living
in Russia, France, England and Italy, VINO
act as spies for Germany and who years OF
months IN advance have, for anticipated Ger
man use, clandestinely built forts con-
structed submarine bases, installed wireless
plants, etc, In the countries now at war with
tho Teutonic allies. When TO this Is added
the melting 70 sedition Of the workmen ana
the subject races Of Germany's enemies IL
will not be difficult TO account for the tardi-
ness in the overcoming Of Germany and her
allies.
Most infested with the Germans has Russia
found herself. Indeed. Russia has been called
bv German political writers "Neudeutschland
New Germany. That the German coioniza-
tion Of the Russian Empire was directed and
subsidized by the German government mas
only In the most recent years become evident
10 Russian publicists and statesmen. THESE
German coonists are most numerously set
tied in Russias Baltic and Polish provinces
that Is. IN territory adjoining the German
Empire. Until latter times the Germans nsd
bee. Of most predominant influence in Rus
sian policy. Highest among these had stood
the Germans Of the Baltic provinces Now
the Baltic Germans have verified on them
selves the proverb that tho wheel Of fortune
turns Once the privileged citizens OF the
Russian state, they are at present losing their
national rights and privileges.
Almost daily do there appear In the Rus
sian journals reports either Of the deporta-
ton Of prominent Baltic barons to the east
ern governments of the empire or of their
being called 10 account for illegal activity
during the mobilization, or OF the closing OF
German schools and societies and the suspen-
sion of German newspapers, or OF the pro-
hibiton of speech in German In the streets
and public places and the suppression Of Ger
man signs etc. Heavy repressions have
fallen on this element that had passed for
and had represented itself as the most loyal
Of the loyal. As to this loyalty there has
begun TO be expressed doubt in the Russian
press and in Russian public opinion, and
there is being underscored the fact OF the
excessively large percentage of the Baltic
Germans in governmental posts, especially In
some departments and in some sections of
the state.
"With the beginning of the war;" observes
the Polish "Gazets Warszawska" CWsrsaw
Gazetteer, "the Baltic Germans became, as
the Russian proverb says, 'stiler than water,
than grass They had already passed
through various vicissitudes Of fortune, but,
thanks to their organization, their solidarity
and their ramifed relations, they had always
weathered out the storm gathering over
their heads and had again found themselves
on top. Up to latter times they had man.
aged to save a considerable part OF the priv
ileges they had known how to secure to
themselves at the time Of the annexation OF
the Baltic provinces to the Russian Empire
though in the reign OF Alexander III German