Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-06-08

Germany has made ofFicial confession
that she Is hungry. Her great struggle
henceforth IL with herself.
. THHE armies of Germany lie in a vast
! i magic circle around the Teutonic EN-
pires. The wizard of militarism has drawn
that circle with the point of the sword
and flames leapt up as the circumference
was established. Against 1t the Pledged
Allies have thrown themselves in vain.
and have reeled back shuddering at its
magic power
The fatality is that the incarnation was
by black magic. and that another circle
has sprung up around the first. If the
enemies of Germany cannot break into
the circle, Germany cannot break out OF
1t. The second circle has Germany as
its centre and the world as its periphery.
1t is composed of the British fleet. To the
wavering multitude at home the German
militarist has shown the inner circle, has
shown 1t even extending It's radius, i'm,
pervious to shock incapable of break
down. It has asked Germans to look for
ward, in the hope they would forget that
the wizard may die of starvation in his
own castle. Now Germany is looking in
ward.
Until this week every reference to the
| gnawing at Germanys vitals has been
coupled with an attack on England.
Shortage of milk meat rations, bread
tickets, all were the visible signs of Eng
lands inhumanity, the justification of the
submarine. The speech of the Imperial
Chancellor on Monday was the first sig-
niflcant utterance which was directed
wholly and intensely inward. 1t hardly
mentioned the blockade. OF the subma-
rines Won Bethmann-IIollweg only said
that his Government never would break
off communication with the United States
in their favor, Unquestionably the Chan.
cellor had heard unpleasant things con.
cerning his previous speeches his feelers
for peace, and their indignant reputation
at the hands of BRAND and Sir Edward |
Grey. His reply is a warning and threat. |
In so many words he says, "If you will |
not let me dicker for peace, you will have |
this!' "This'' is hunger.
To be sure. the Chancellor attempts to |
repeat the words of incarnation, and his |
rhetoric is excellent. His assurances that |
Germany can storm the barren heights |
VI uuHSSJ iS SIle SIOIIllS lH6 WOOutu lllllS
of Verdun were inevitable. The tenor Of |
the entire speech, so defiant in principle,
is mild. 1t is at last admitted that Eng
land has not been beaten on the seas. And
1t is this nildness which gives emphasis
to the Chancellors words:
The men who fight out there around
Verdun, who fight under Hindenburg,
our proud bluejackets who showed AL
bion that rats bite. are fashioned from
a breed that knows how to bear priva-
tions also. These privations are here.
l admit 1t calmly and openly, even to
foreign countries, but we will bear
them. In this fight against hunger we
will also make progress Gracious
Heaven allowed a good harvest this
year. There is no external
influence which can shake our unity
even in the slightest degree.
Bethmann-Hollweg's speech came at
the end of a long series of attacks, in
which one of the great parties of Ger
many, the Conservatives, has been his un-
sparing enemy. The enmity continues.
There Is a great mistake in psychology
implied in the idea that the Germans at
home will fight one battle while those in
the field fight another. The two are not
comparable, and the two are but parts of
one. The physical exhaustion, downright
hunger, of Germany at home must affect
the armies. The pressure for more and
more decisive victories will come just
when the opportunities grow less. GER
many is already in a state of siege. It\I
may happen that the beleaguering forces
will begin to batter.
When, several weeks ago, the Chancel-
lor pointed to the map of Europe, with
the black line of Germany's conquests
spoke with frightfuI accuracy for Ger
many. The map of Europe indicates that
two nations, richest in resource, are just
beginning to put into the field their
wealth of men and stores. The map indi-
Gates that Germany has spread herself
thin. 1t indicates that at Verdun they
shall not pass" except at a cost incalcu-
liable in human terms. Three days ago
the earth began to rumble in the East;
the huge mass of Russia has shaken it.
self into action, The army perfected by
Kitchener for use in the West may not be
quite ready, but it grows in strength with
each day. OF the quality of French re-
sistance it is as impossible to speak as OF
the quality of Germany's attack.
Before the Chancellor's speech these
things were known. but they were dis
counted by the evident prejudice in favor
OF the Allies which inspired the critics,
Today these are the words of Germany,
with only the hope of great crop to sus-
tain her. The hope itself is an obstacle to
peace. 1t may be the last.