Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1916-08-02
GERMAN
CREATIONS.

IF the Kaiser has made the two
military orations to his troops re-
ported in the newspapers during the
last few days, he is still under the
domination of the spirit which plung-
ed him into this war. His reasserva-
ton of his old claim to be the special
representative of Providence is lit
tie difficult to understand just at
this moment, when Providence seems
to be repudiating him and when the
thought is probably growing in Ger
many, as well as elsewhere, that the
war is the work of the devils agents
and not of benevolent divinity. AS
observed by a contemporary, apart
from the appropriateness of the
Kaiser's assertion of divine authority
at a period when arrant nonsense
must be especially irritating to a
country which is bleeding at every
pore because of his fatal leadership,
it is singular that he does not know
his own people any better than to
think that they would accept such an
outworn doctrine at any time. the
Germans probably have as little
sympathy with this exploded theory
as any nation in the world, and the
German Emperor cannot fail to know
this, unless he has really become a
little daft on this subject. Like a
theatrical costume, the "divine right
of kings" was once a royal 'pro-
perty" that was valuable for the i'm
preston it produced upon the multi
tude. But it is Dashboard crown
that has long ago been discarded in
all other civilized regions, and to
drag it out again at such a tragic
juncture as this seems to suggest
mental hallucination rather than the
intellectual strength which we have
been accustomed to associate with
the Emperor.
According to a dispatch from Ber-
lin, there are indications that more
freedom in the discussion of the war
aims will be granted i'll the immediate
future. The German national COM
mittee" have begun a great speaking
campaign with list of speakers in
GLIDING many of the most prominent
men in Germany.
: The Emperor is also to appear VI
en- the rostrum.
At the same time "the independent
committee for obtaining an honorable
peace" will open its activities, and
"the committee on the guiding prin-
Iciples for the way to lasting peace"
will convene in Munich.
The proclamation thrown on Ber-
lin is described by French authori-
! ties as consisting of all impartial
statement of the causes of the war
and the principal reasons why the
Entente Allies are bound to win"
and concluding with these words:
| ''By the wholesale massacre Of in
nocent women and children, ana by
her brutal methods of warfare Ger.
many has alienated the synpathie.
of ncutrals and the number of mel
ienemies grows daily.
"The allies are firmly resolved tt
go on until the, utmost limit. Tnr
arc fighting for your steel kings,
your squirearchy, your land grabbers
1--WE are fighting for the liberty of al
against the tyranny of military caste
| "We desire to punish the guilty
We wish to make a repetition of TIT
Ipresent carnage impossible aud tina
obiect will be attained if in German.
the people possess the right to decid
questions of war and peace for them
selves"
I The Kaiser still believes be is til
: modern Joshua with Jehovah proceed
e ing him. In his last proclamation h
t.. says:
hi with Gods gracious help, I an
t convinced that your future deed