Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1916-01-11
EUROPE HEADED FOR DEMoc'
RACY.

EUROPE HEADED FOR DEMoc'
RAcY.
Under the above heading, Wharton
Barker writes that in his opinion, the
outcome OF the great European war
will be representative rule for the
monarchial governments Of the old
world. Mr.. Barker was for years Nm
ancial agent in the United States for
the Russian government, was consult
Ing expert for the Chinese govern
ment In matters of finance, transpor-
tation and industry, was manager for
the GARFIELD and Harrison nomination
campaigns and was himself a presi-
dental candidate in 1900 on the peo-
ple's ticket. His opinion on the effect
Of the war on Europe follows:
Europe, lighting its great war for
and against conquest, is heading for
4 universal and real democracy as the
anal outcomeAof the struggle.
On the assumption that Germany
viii be defeated In the war-which is.
in fact, one between autocracy and
aemocracy-the question Is presented
whether Imperialism or democracy
shall govern the Germany of the fu-
ture. The socialist party of Ger
many are, in reality, the democrats
of the German nation; they are op-
posed and have been dominated by the
1unkers and the military classes. who
are the party Of autocracy. The
autocracy elects two-thirds Of the
reichstag; the socialists elect only one
third. Yet the socialists and those
who would vote with them constitute
at least two-thirds Of the population.
On the assumption that Imperialism
is to win the war, the autocracy will
continue to control the government
and the policies Of the nation; on the
assumption that Germany will be beat
en-, democracy will cast out the i'm
perial government and will establish a
democratic republic, a situation that
would be Of vast advantage, not only
to Germans but to all mankind.
Americans who, at the outbreak OF
the war, believed that German social
lists would forget they were Germans
and so prevent war, were mistaken,
because the socialists, together with
all other Germans. believe in Ger
many. But they do not believe in
Germany as interpreted by their
kaiser - Germany is l." They be-
lieye in the Germany which is the
German people. With German victory
they would be forced to accept a con-
tinuance of military domination and
the r%eiteration Of the imperial declara-
ton Of supreme power. There would
be an acceptance of the doctrine Of
Louis XIV. in France-"I am the
state" ~ ra. r .
In the twentieth century, a period
no longer than one-tenth of the inter-
val between Louis XIV. and the pres
ont republic is required to bring
changes as radical as those which
happened in France. Unless Ger
many wins the war, it's people r go
ing to be so empty-bellied and SO dis
gusted with imperial rule that they
will destroy the Hohenzollern govern
ment and have a government that will
recognize equality Of opportunity. The
scientific, agricultural, industrial and
commercial development of the Ger
man people was the work Of a great
people; and upon their work the i'm
perial Hohenzollern domination exists.
TT is a mistaken belief that the Ger
mans, as a people, acquiesce in the
claim of their kaiser that he created
their prosperity; they know it is a
creation of their own. If they realize
that all their labors have been des-
troyed. their resentment -tin h
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