The Washington herald., 1916-05-14
British Cabinet Ministers Hope
Starving Teutons Will Rise
and Kill Militarism by Gust
ing Junker Masters.
By JOHN L. BALDERSTON.
CCopyriSht, 1916, by the Mcclure Newspaper
Syndicate)

CC0prigbt 1876, By the MeClurs Newspaper
Syndiats)
London, April AT least three mem
bers Of the British government have tor
months past frankly faced the posstbil-
itv that IL may be impossible to defeat
the German armies in the field. Ihey
are inclined to think, with large sec
tion Of opinion in belligerent and neutral
countries that after German strength de-
cltnes and the German general staff is
forced to give up all hope Of conquerlng
its enemies, the German defensive may
prove too strong to be broken.
This does not mean that British policy
at present is based on an admission that
the war is a draw. Far from 1t. The
soldiers are in control and will have
their chance to win If they can. backed
up by the whole nation and furnished
with as many men. guns and shells as
the country Is able to supply. But IT Is
the business Of statesmen to prepare Tor
all eventualities and they are doing 1t
The recent answer Of Premier Asqulth
10 Chancellor Bethmann-Holwegs sPeech
in the Reichstag makes It possible TO
write this article Until that speech was
made such information on this sublcct
as was obtainable in London was highly
confidential. for reasons that will appear
No Need to Invade Germany.
The British government. II the opinion
Of its most powerful leader can be taken
as representing the government, believes
that England and France can If neces-
sarv win a moral victory. achieve in fact
what they set out to win IN August 1914
without VIGOROUSLY invading Germany.
This can be done. they think, II the
Allies relentlessly prosecute the war to
the limit Of their strength. wearing Ger
fl,s Of He- Eo1Iiara q NJ
her economic resources and by food
shortage at home. The superior staying
powers Of the Entente, due to the COM
nland Of the sea and greater available
numbers Of men. are relied upon to bring
about a social revolution in Germany, A
political upheaval. probably peaceful.
which will result in placing political
power in the hands of the masses and
oustinz the Prussian landowners, or
junkers. from control.
Prussian militarism will then be dead
and the deuded German people. too
powerful to be crushed. but without ag-
Eressive designs on their neighbors, can
then be granted a peace they can accept
with honor and which will leave the
Fatherland untouched. while rendering
back to their oUDers all of Gcrmanys
Conquests that remain unredeemed by
the Allied armies. That Is the theory
IN a nutshell OF how the aggression OF
Prussia can be ended even II Prussia
cannot be conquered.
Plan Outlined to Editor.
Colonel George Harvey. editor OF the
North American Review, who enjoys
prestige in Europe as the man who
discovered Wilson" was in England last
autumn. and has described in his maya.
zine how the most inCrea slngly power.
ful'' member OF the government asked
his Views on the war. Colonel Harvey
explained his doubts that enough Allied
troops could be put across the Rhine tc
dictate peace to Germany. and the min
ister admitted that this might be true
He then outlined to Colonel Harvey 4
plan by which the aim of the Entente
might be achieved even If the CoIonel'a
fears were well founded. but requested
Colonel Harvey not even to hint the ma.
ture of the conversation.
This request OF course. was observed
But that member Of the government ha!
talked to other persons on the subject
and Slr. Asquith's speech, which. to the
initiated, let the cat out OF the bag
makes il possible to say that the police
Of fighting on until Germany herself
casts out her devils" as I have hca rC
It phrased, was probably the one under
discussion. even though the discussion
took place as long ago as last fall.
Why all this secrecy? it may be asked
4 subordinate motive may have been q
fear OF possible Clamor and disastrou.
political consequences at home \ strong
er motive was probably the desire not
to weaken the morale Of the troops al
the front by open discussion OF a peace
not based upon military successes.
Reasons for Secrecy.
But there are two compelling reason.
Why for q long time yet, this question
can only be officially dealt with by hint:
not intended to be understood by the
public. The first is Russia.
It has been feared that II stress were
laid in England and France on the neces
sity Of OustIng the military clique thai
rules Prussia and turning over the coun
try to the German people, serious Of
fsnse would be taken by members o.
the Russian sUtocracy. As II is, one o
the strongest arguments of the nov
hopeless, but recently dangerous, Rus
sian peace party has been that the de
structlon Of the Prussian autocracy
would react disastrously on the position
OF the bureaucrats in the realm of tn,
Gar. The fears of the court party have
been assidUously played upon, and tht
old theory that autocratic countrie!
should stand together against democ
racies has been preached in the aristo
cratic salons Of PetroGrad. The mildes
suggestion by England. or England anc
France to the German people that the,
should reform their government woult
be met by the jUnkers, fairly enough
with the request that the Entente frs
see to il that its powerful partner Rus
sia Installed popular rule. Which is q
job England and France have no inten
tiOn OF undertaking.
The second reason for silence is tn,
knowledge that hatred Of England ant
suspicion Of her diplomacy are so stroni
among the people OF Germany that an!
attempt to argue the Germans into ct
ting rid OF their masters would onl,
have the opposite result and increas
their popularity. or decrease their un