New-York tribune., 1916-06-02
"PRUSSIAN FAILURE

and occasionally to suppress his paper. II
the British government had adopted the
same policy toward the British newspapers
the criticisms and attacks which The Tribune
editorial reflects or paraphrases would not
: have been published France has safety
valve for political opinion through its sys-
TEN Of secret Parliamentary commissions
and in time Of crisis. when the governmen.
is attacked from within, some expression OF
opinion in the PRESS is tolerated. But this
is not public opinion, in the American sense.
The writer or The Tribune article says
that such hope as there is for democracy
must be found in France, not in England or
America. A very dismal and gloomy fore
cast The war has knit together all the ele-
ments Of the nation in one solid bond of
brotherhood as they have never been united
before. and every lover Of freedom is conf
dent that France will emerge from the strug-
gle a real democracy, greater in its moral
strength and political power. Americans and
all free peoples can safely look 10 France
for inspiration and hope in the future, but
that should not make one despair Of England
or America.
England is scourged by the war and AT
the same time stimulated; her people, at
home and throughout the empire. are en-
gagged in a common struggle in which every
thing which they hold dear is at stake, and
they are putting forward a united effort.
The future of democracy in the British En-
pire is now being moulded in the crucible of
war. Democracy will be a more virile force
in tho life Of the British people after the
war than IL has ever been in the past. The
minging Of the classes Of Great Britain
and her overseas domnions in the armies
and in common political action is factor
which will make for real democratic prog
ress.
There is one consoling fact about this
Tribune article whoever IN America may
accept it as fair criticism of British effort
and policy. one thing is quite certain, that
the Germans will not believe Il. | do not
wish TO traverse the whole article, but sug-
gest 10 the editor OF The Tribune that he
should write a companion article, entitled
"The Prussian Failure on the following
lines
"Nevcr has there been a more lsmentable
or colossal failure Of the ambitions Of Il
military autocrat than the failure OF the
strategy and dreams Of the Kaiser. After
years OF hidden preparedness. during which
time the Kaiser, with audacous duplicity,
held out the olive branch 10 England. France
and other powers, he decided. at the end of
July. 1914. that the opportune moment TO
strike had arrived. Never was any man so
afraid that peace might be preserved. lie
was in such hurry that he did not wait for
Austria. his partner, with only an insignif-
cant part of her disagreement with Serbia 10
settle to continue her negotiations with
Russia. but rushed an ultimatum out against
Russia. When he plunged Europe into blood
y II.
in six months leaving Europe at the feet
and mercy OF triumphant Germany What
has happened? Hopeless. ignominious fail
ure of every war plan, and every object at
which he aimed. The Kaiser promised his
people Paris. Paris still filings defiance al
him. He promised them Calais. He has
failed to deliver tho goods. lie promised
them Petrograd. Pctrograd is as Russian
as ever it was, and is likely TO remain 50.
He counted on I,aly's help. or at least her
benevolent neutrality. He bunglcd his
diplomacy so badly that Italy joined the Al
lies lie boasted that his submarine block
ade of Great Britain would reduce the coun-
try to terms. His blockade has been a
fissco.
at is true that the German legions have
crushed Belgium and have annihilated little
Serbia after that country had fought three
wars in three years. Germany has obtained
temporary possession of part Of France and
a large slice OF Russia, but in what way DO
these conquests. temporary as they are add
to the German military strength? The Kai-
ser is no nearer the end OF the war. and
the longer the chain becomes between him
and his enemy the weaker it grows. while
the power and capacity for endurance OF
his enemies constantly increase. The Kaiser
called TO his arms and to his heart the