The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-08-30
Will INSPIRE LIBERAL
LEADERS IN GERMANY
Presidents Reply to Pope Greatest
BLOW to Autocracy Since Rus
~An Revolution.
WILL STIR UP JUNKERS
They VIII Talk of External Dictation,
But Won Wicgand Declares They
Do Not Represent Real Sentiment
of German People.
BY KARL Fl. Won MIEGAND.

Washington. Aug. 29.-America's
answer through President Wilson to
Pope Benedict's peace suggestion Will
come as a blow. a surprise. reveal
ton. an assurance. an inspiration
all these to Germany.
To the great masses OF German peo-
pie II will come as a renewed otter OF
erisndship from the United States IN
whose enmity, despite all newspaper
utterAnoes, they have never wanted TO
believe and never could fully grasp.
President Wilson indictment OF
xhe German eovernment will be a hard
blow to the kaiser and severely shake
the existing governmental system- II
win Be revelation TO the German
peopla, u Il reaches them in cor
rectly translated form.
Learn the Truth.
The German people have been told
President Wilson sought to see Ger
many crushed. annihilated. the Cor
man people Inundated, and an OPP
portunity for them to recover from
tho terrible effects OF the wnr made
impossible after peaca They have
been told that this is false.
America through President Wilson
now gives the German people asHur-
ances that Germany shall, have equal
ity with others In the family OF ma
tions II they will accept that instead Of
seeking the domination preached b
Bernhard. Reventlow and others.
The note will serve AZ an inspira
ton to the leaders of German ltber-
alism strengthen their influence with
the people and encourage them to
greater efforts to bring the govern
ment of Germany under the dIrec'
control of the reichstag. the chosen
representatives. OF the people
President Wilson has struck the
hardest blow at the unrepresentattve
form OF Germany's political ard gov
ernmerial system since the Russian
revolution. That system began 10
crack In April.
Bv slow and peaceful means the
German liberal leaders have beeu
edEing nearer and nearer To the seat
OF power in Germany That power Is
not yet in their hands
Encourages Liberal leaders.
President Wilson has greatly en-
couraged their efforts and furth"red
their purposes Leaders Ike Maxi
milan Harden. Thcdor Wolf. George
Bernhard. Richard Whiting Balm
? Fr71erger. Professor pelhrueck. have
been telling the German people witt
great frankness what Is necessary II
Germany to bring peace with the
world President Wilson has confirne t
he preaehings 81 these men
In the -Germanic and junkeT
press tie note viii evoke some spdt
ag fnr p few DAYS Their VII he
o. attempted dictation. 70 th'
t'f~"}sn people and show o. resent
mont That should not he taken tos
rsnuSiy ner. as the voice ant
&, t,i On al the masses OF the Ger
n9a people
TT, German people want peace viii
.fufrjca more than they wan, I, VIII
-, ,tter people IA the world
f.,s4deni Wilson's remark .sle toc
unent which marks a new stare II
tie strugg - toward peace VIII BIRTHS
ceQsteruation to the present govern
ment in GERMANY Wisely gettlnE
from ANYTHING that can be construed
or Interpreted into any hing APP
u preaching an attempt 10 teil the Ger
4 man people how or whom they are
to be governed by be does not ever
hint that the kaiser must go. talk Of
ten attributed in Germany to rresI
dent Wilson and which liberal lender
often told me had done macn harm +,
the cause OF democracy IN Gertns ny.
People Must Make Peace.
Assuming that the note reache
them in the form In which Il Is writ
ten. the German people will see a1t
understand that President Wilson ask,
only that the people themselve,
through chosen representatives mus
take over the matter OF negotiatin M
FOR peace and concluding peace Tn.
American president has placed IN.
most powerful arguments in the hand.
OF the German socialist and liberia
leaders
Had the German socialist and lfher
al leaders asked President Wilson fol
conditions OF peace to further theiI
purpose, they would not have asked
Tor more.
II will be terrible confirmation o.
Rernstorf~s warning TO Bethmann
Hollweg the last week in March tina
Washington never will negotiate ol
conclude peace with the present gov
eminent in Germany" It justfie,
Harden's remark. Peace lies in tn,
hollow of President Wilson's hand
Only he can show the way and fore,
all beifigerents including Germany q
take the road he points out"