New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-05-27
Furnishing GERMANY
War Should Last Until the People Revolt
Against Hohenzollernism

To the Editor Of The Tribune.
Sir: The purpose Of prolongng this war is
to prevent Germany from repeating it at her
first convenience. Your admirable editorial
Of May 3. "How Long Will 1t Last?' seems to
hold that this prevention may be brought
about by such a prolongation and such
punishment of Germany as will teach her
that there is no real profit in the means by
which she hoped TO win this war, treachery
and frightfulness treachery. which regards
treaties and pledges as primarily the means
of throwing the more scrupulous nations OIL
their guard; frightfuness. which would ter
rorize the civil population OF both enemies
and neutrals and thus again put the scrupu-
lous under a great disadvantage.
But would any degree Of prolongation and
punishment teach this directly? II the no.
henzollerns remain in despotic power they VIII
readily persuade Germany, when they THINK
the time fit. that that which blocked them.
the defeat of the Marine, was simply one OF
u ose rare miraculous happenings which
because they are admitted on all sides to be
so extraordinary and astonishing, are IN the
highest degree unlikely to recur.
The value OF treachery thus remaining un-
disproved. the value of frightfulness IS shown
BY its terrorizing Greece and Rumania, and
thus preventing them from aiding the En-
tente. which alone stood between them and
their later absorption by Germany
II am right in this, what degree OF defeat
and punishment can teach Germany directly
that treachery and frightfulness. which so
nearly succeeded, will not succeed next tme'
and hence will not pay?
Two other means of preventing Germany
from repeating 1914 arc at hand-the pro
nosed international league against any out
law nation which tries to take the law INTO
- own hands and the destruction OF the
Hohenzollern despotsm. The first Of these
the organization of the law-abiding nations
O suppress international lawlessness we now
see to be as imperative IS the organization
Of law-abiding individuals into states TO sup
press the lawessness of individuals and OF
bands.
To limit the power OF the Hohenzollerns is
q more radical treatment of the German evil.
Il is idle to point to the general wish OF the
German people for this war and their enthu-
eiasn, for il as evidence that it is not
Hohenzollern war. This attitude of the Ger
mans and their applause of treachery and
friphtfulness are themselves products OF
Hohenzollernism which as a foundation for
it's future world dominion deliberately pre-
parcG the ground by doclizing Germany The
arbitrariness of its despotism first docilized
the Germans by process OF selection, when
caused the less docile to emigrate so as 10
escape this tyranny. leaving the more docile
as a residuum. Then il enhanced their natu-
raj docilty by impressing by means OF all
the educational institutions Of the country a
grossly exaggerated notion of the Importance
of obeying superiors, parents, teachers ana
civil and military authorities rather than
individual judgment and conscience. Inc
sclf-stultifying announcements of illustrious
German professors are natural products OF
this grossly exaggerated valuation of obed-
crcc 70 superiors rather than to individual
Judgment Had such men been in the habit
of forming their individual judgments on po-
litical questions and had they felt free to
speak them out they would never have stultl-
led themselves thus.
We know from long and intimate contact
with TCutons IN this country that they are
individually neither treacherous nor fright
full and we infer that international treachery
and frightfulness, far from being a necessary
part Of the Teutonc nature, have been ac-
cepted by the German people through their
dociity and through their accepting as valid
all political judgments imposed from above
Thus, while no prolongation OF this war
which does not destroy the despotic power of
the Hohenzollerns can enectVely teach the
Germans that another such would not
pay prolongation which so distresses. en-
hungers and impoverishes the Germans that
they themselves will destroy that despotism
would thereby cut out the root of the dis
ease OF course, as long as the war lasts the
Germans will and perhaps ought to stand by
their existing government, good or bad. But
here are two facts of the first moment-hrst,
that before the war. when Hohenzolernism
had certainly succeeded most extraordinarily,