New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-10-07
Will Germany Be Democratized?
Blu Roland c. Usher Author of "Pan- Cern'anism

The outstanding factor in Germany's Go
feat will be her inability to continue produc-
ing IL will be an economic downfall more
than a military one. The demand upon her
production capacity is enormous; she cannot
continue indefinitely in competition with her
more resourceful opponents, for che IS com
PEELED to produce not alone for herseh out
largely for her allies as we'll. She will fall.
The war will not end soon. The Allies GER
.ainly are not ready to talk terms Of peace,
and they would be foolish 20 do so until they
see how badly they can defeat Germany Is
pecially is this true now that the United
States is in the war.
Germany will continue 20 make peace Of
fers and the Allies will continue TO refuse
70 listen 10 them for the very simple but
good reason that Germany will make no offer
before she Is beaten that will approach the
terms she will have 10 make II she is beaten.
When the German leaders become con-
vinced that the game is up they will lay
down the cards and call it over. do not
believe that will be this year-or next |
believe it may come in 1919. Germans have
vofully misread the other nations, but they
understand themselves we'll
do not look for revolution in Germany
during the war. I do look for immediate
changes in the government Of Germany, how
ever. as soon as the war ends. or just as
soon as the end-and defeat-becomes clear
70 the German people.
r. Austria breaks, il economic conditions in
Austria, much less well organized than in
have 20 stop fighting. Or she might become
20 enfeebed as 20 be useless. Austria Is han
iicapped By less obedient people than Ger
many. Germany would then have 20 accept
terms dictated By the Allies, even though she
might of herself, be able 10 hold out some
what longer. But the great scheme would
then have failed definitely; it would be folly
for Germany TO continue.
German Leaders Not Unperceiving
The German leaders may be brutal, but
they do not lack perception. They may sac
rifce the lives Of Germans without scruple
90 long az il appears there is something 10
be gained; they will certainly not throw
lives away on forlorn hope, because they
know we'll that they will need them In the
future.
Alssce-Lorraine will certainly go back 70
France. There will be territorial changes in
Europe proper, and they will be about as
the Allies want.
Germany will agree to an elaborate resn-
tuition of Belgium--of that am certain. She
we'll knows the feelings of the world on this
-. nd md
ara many in Germany who favor this action,
not from the standpoint of good policy but
from its strictly moral side.
The key 20 the situation in the matter or
democratlzing Germany Ia the fact that the
people Of Germany do not use the word de-
mocracy in the same sense that we do. The
German includes things we do not; ne leaves
out the particular thing that we are talking
about at present-that is, the responsibility
OF the executive to fle people.
The difficulty in establishing IN Germany
wha, we in America and England mean by
democracy is not so much failure to under
stand what We mean. but because OF a very
defnlt. belief that the sort OF constitutional
device We mean is not practical in Germany.
It's adoption would Immediately destroy what
q great many Germans regard as institutions
indispensable 10 Germany's future. ! mean
tho smaller German states.
The empire was created not so much to
exat Prussia as 10 create a compromise be-
tween Prussia and the other sovereign states
o. Germany. so that Snis cooperation would
bA assured in the future. To introduce the
American presidential system or the English
or French responsible ministry elected by
majority OF the popular house would destroy,
in practice. the very real authority now eXer
csed b. the small German states, because
II would make Prussia's control OF the Ger
man Empire absolute, where it is now only
partial. Prussia would then be able to act
wthou. consulting the other German states
az all in whatever she chose. because her
mbers would always be in an oyerwhelm-
ing majority in the Reichstag. At present, in
one way or another, Prussia usually gets her
way in things Of real importance but she
has 20 amend and compromise with other
states in the Bundesrat in order TO accom-
plish il.
Tho German Kaiser is certainly the most
powerful executive in the world 20 day But
comparatively little Of this power comes from