Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1917-09-07
The GERMAN VIEW.


President Wilson's peace note in the
conservative German newspapers that
their editors and the bulk of the Ger
man public regard Germany's chances
for eventual victory as particularly
bright. 1t is necessary to keep this
fact in mind to understand the resent
ment voiced by these newspapers over
what they consider interference in
their domestic affairs.
This helps to explain the kaiser's
willingness to discuss peace only when
his fighting forces are acquitting them
selves creditably. Also, it serves to
impress on every mind the fact that
until crushing defeat is dealt out to
German arms il Is useless to endeavor
to stir the German people to a realiza-
ton of the truth about the aims of the
governments with which the kaiser is
at war
While the Teutonic armies are win
ming, or while they are sufficiently
firm in the face of local defeats to per-
NIT the general staff to claim a partial
victory or admit only temporary set
back. the German people will
continue to believe that victory
is certain to come with the end OF
the war. The assurance expressed by
Hindenburg, Ludendorff. Scherr and
other popular heroes of the army and
navy with regard to the certain even
tual success of the U-boat holsters up
Germany's hopes even when the crown
princes armies have been driven back
at Verdun and when Hindenburg's iron
line has been pierced in score, of
places
The horror Of the Lusitania disaster
blinded all the world save Germany to
any other consideration of the tragedy,
but to Germans the sinking of Eng.
lands greatest liner and the destruc-
proof of the claims which had been
made by the submarine-that 1t could
conquer all the navies of all the world
and master all the seas.
And although the U-boat failed to
end the war in the short time it's ad.
vocates allotted, they have been able
to maintain Germany's faith in its in
vincibility by means of occasional ref.
erences to the Lusitania by such con
fident assertions as that OF Admiral
Scheer, who declares the losses OF
submarines have averaged only two OF
three a month. While there is every
reason to believe this is a fabrication
there is little doubt that the vessels
are being built fully as rapidly as they
are being destroyed. And the enemies
of Germany have scored no victory
| over the submarines which even the
most optimistic among them can cite
! as indicating that the instrument OF
Germany's ruthless raiding is doomed
Meanwhile Germany's armies are
| fighting on foreign soil and the empire
itself seems proof against invasion ex
cept on rare occasions by unusually
| daring aviators. With the line in
France and Belgium shifting only by
inches and with the eastern battle
front progressing farther eastward as
rapidly as the cowardly Russians car
carry it, 1t is not difficult to under
stand why Germans should believe the
repeated assurances Of early victory
voiced by the kaiser and the command
ers of his armies.
They are taught to regard the en-
trance of the United States only as ar
incident which prolongs the war but
does not change the certainty of Ger
man victory
And until the American army Is a,
the front in sufficient force to deliver
decisive defeat--until the bold boas
Of our soldiers, "I'll write you from
| Berlin seems about to be fulfilled
there is little hope that the placid Ger
man confidence in the kaiser and hi.
war lords will give way to anythins
like a general demand for peace or
any terms, save those which mean Ger
man YictntY