New-York tribune., 1916-07-22
To the Editor Of The Tribune.

To the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir: The Frankfurter Zeitung," whose
articles on commerce and finances always
attract great attention even in foreign lands,
and one of the most influential newspapers in
Germany, publishes a remarkable article, OF
which the cable brings US a brief synopsis.
II is not so much for what it says, but for
what an impartial observer may read between
the lines, that the following excerpt deserves
more than passing notice: "lt would be
WELL" says the paper, "if truce could be ar
ranged in order to permit half of the German
army to return home for the elections, IN
order that the real feeling of the nation under
the changed conditions may be ascertained."
The elections refer to the Reichstag whose
legal existence expires on December 81 next.
There is nothing extraordinary for German
newspaper TO remind the Imperial Govern
rent of an approaching election. The
Frankfurter Zeiturg," however goes much
further; it speaks of truce to permit the
army to participate in the elections, not in
order to favor any special political party, but
to ascertain the real feeling of the nation
under the changed conditions"
What does it all mean? One will please
bear in mind that the "Frankfurter Zeitung"
does not belong to what is called the reptilian
press, that it does not depend for its exis-
tence on the Secret funds" of Wilhelm
strasse; one cannot help but wonder at the
careful wording Of the above lines and draw
the only conclusion that is plausible and
logical, which resumes itself in a disguised
confession that spells defeat.
That word defeat suggests, if not similar
situation, at least certain analogy with the
crisis in France during the last Franco-Prus
sian war, which crisis eliminated into a de-
mand for general elections for an Assem-
blee Rationale" House of Representatives,
a Reichstag. In those dark days when France
was beaten there was party headed by the
great Gambetta who wanted war to finish
ia guerre outrance," whereas the more
conservative republicans as well as reaction
aries, thought that it was in the interest of
France to make peace. Therefore, with the
consent Of the Iron Chancellor, elections
were held all over France, including Alsace-
Lorraine The result was what it was eX-
pected to be; an Assemble Rationale eager
TO make peace. The members for Alsace-Lor
raine, among them Gambetta, the only ones
who were opposed to the peace terms. re-
signed after having protested Of their loyalty
to France in declaration solemnly read and
silently listened to by the entire Assembly
with heads bowed down.
The present situation In Germany, politi-
cally speaking, bears comparison with France
of 1s7O-'7i. While it is true, as Won Beth
mann -Hollweg occasionally remarks, that on
the map Germany is victorious, it is also true
that economically the Central Powers are
beaten, and beaten to frazzle, as our own
Roosevelt would say.
The Kaiser may rush madly from one front
TO another. the Kronprinz may distribute car
loads of Iron Crosses TO his soldiers, who look
to Nerdun the promised land, our own
German-Americans here may shout them
selves hoarse at the arrival of submarine
merchantmen (O;'yet, Notwithstanding all
that, the fact remains undisputed that the
German commerce is gone. that the German
colonies are gone, that instead of advancing
the Teutonic armies are retiring on all fronts,
while at home the population, who are not
burdened with overloaded stomachs. commence
TO realize that the Entente Powers are not a
myth, that they. are real live force bent
not on conquest, but on justice with a capi-
tai j.
The German people who have been fed
rather lavishly on bulletins Of victory in
stead Of on meat and other necessaries of
life cannot always be deceived. But there
are great many Of them not a majority,
however, who do not believe that Germany is
or can be beaten. Their appetite for snnexa-