New-York tribune., 1916-07-22
IF THE GERMAN ARMY VOTED
The Fankfrter Zeung Proposal Permit German Sol
dier to Participate in Coming Election Is Compared
with the Crisis in France in 1901.

, tion of other lands as Belgium and Serbia,
for instance, is voracious; their insistence for
a huge war indemnity with which TO crush
France forever borders madness, their
passion to justify the slogan Deutschland
uber Allies" is running Wild and they want the
war to continue to a finish, regardless of the
economical conditions Of their country, re-
gardless Of the millions OF orphans and
widows II is TO convince neutral powers
and the intelligent Germans of the unpopu-
larity of the party to-day that the
"Frankfurter Zeitung" advocates a general
election "to ascertain the real feeling IL is
easy TO understand what the great newspaper
which. as stated before is one of the most in
fuential and an authority on commerce and
finance, has in mind when it the words
real feeling" The feeling evidently ex-
perienced now in Germany does not repre-
sent true state of affairs. real state of
affairs, according to the "Frankfurter lei
tung' new election would prove unques-
tionably that what is now strong under
current for peace will develop into formid-
able demand for peace when the election re-
turns are in.
Besides. the German paper suggests that
half of the army be permitted to participate
in the elections. Assuming this to be feast
ble what is the purpose of injecting the mill
tary vote into the solution of the problem of
peace or war. In order 20 answer that prop
erly 1t is necessary to recall that hundreds of
thousands Of men at the various fronts are
Socialists who as long as they wear the mill
tary uniform cannot express any opinion.
The iron discipline has muzzled them. but
they cannot refrain from thinking of their
beloved ones at home, whose situation is more
than precarious. They get, by the teaspoon
iul, II may so express it, information as to
the occasional rioting in the large German
cities, particularly among the working classes
IN Saxony, the great manufacturing centre Of
the Empire. They have not forgotten. these
SOCIALISTS, what has happened to their es-
teemed and much respected leader DR.. Lieb
knecht, who is presently confined in a dark
cell for having dared, on the first of MAY
TO tell his constituents that the war had
lasted long enough. Putting two and two
together, then, it is logical 10 suppose that
the Socialist soldiers if they are permitted
TO vote, will as one man write the word
Peace on their ballots by voting for a can.
didate Of the Liebknecht type Beside the
socialists there are others in the army whom
the Germans derisively call the "Deutscher
MlcheF-the peasant, whose patriotism Off
cially Is reflected in "hoching the Kaiser" but
whose mind and heart is with his farm. with
his fields and with the next crop. They con-
stitute in themselves, those farmers. an army
Of peace for whom the Iron Cross has ceased
TO be an attraction. Their votes will swell
the peace movement, and that is what prompts
the "Frankfurter Zeitung," whose former bel
licose attitude is strangely dampened, to sug-
gest "a truce TO permit half of the army to
return home for the elections" SO that on
the side of peace will be found the Deutscher
Michel the Socialist. the small business man.
while against them will stand, showing
united front, the Agrsrians, the Prussians
the "Gott Nit Uns," The Deutschland uber
Alles," personifed by the Kaiser, the Kron
prinz, Won Tirpitz ana Reventlow.
OF course the Kaiser may use his consti.
tutonal rights and dissolve the Reichsta, 10
majority of that body is against the CON
tinuance of the war. Will William II dare
TO do that? To which question echo answers
he will dare anything to save his throne
The situation is unprecedented. The fears
of revolution seem TO haunt even the Co.
man General staff. who in an appeal TO the
German people, feels compelled to declare
this morning that never has an army braved
what ours has brsycd."
Shades Of Bismarck. Motke and Won poor
has it come to that! JONAS LIPPMANN
Formerly of she Journal d'AlsaceD
New York, July 81, 1916.