The Washington times., 1917-10-28


constitute that class OF which Presi-
dent Lincoln spoke, "You can fool
some OF the people all OF the time"
and the middle class of manufactur-
ers, merchants, and So on, have ac-
quiesced in the system because OF the
profits that they have made.
The difficulty of making peace with
Germany as at present constituted is
that the whole world feels that peace
made with its-present government
would not be lasting; that such .
peace would mean the detachment Of
some Of the allies from the. present
world alliance against Germany.
preparation by Germany, IN the hgnr
Of her needs as disclosed by this war,
and the declaration Of q new war In
Marne to turn back the tide of Ger
man world conquest
Not Great LIBERAL Party.
There is an Impression abroad that
the Social Democratic Party Of Ger
many, usually known abroad as the
Socialist Party. partakss. of at least
, some OF the characteristics OF q great
Liberal party. This Is far from being
the case By their acts, II not BY
~--NH ~4bANeo 1gSAaI I1llOu98 LuDY nave
shown themselves a. opposed to the
monarchical form Of government, and
their leaders are charged with hav-
ing declared themselves openly in
favor Of free love and against relig-
ion.
The Roman Catholic Church recoK-
mixes In social democracy its greatest
enemy and has made great efforts to
counteract the advance Of social
democracy by fostering q sort Of
Roman Catholic trades union for a
religious body OF Socialists.
The Social Democrat In Germany Il
almost an outcast- Although one
third Of the members Of the Reich
stag belong to this party, It's members
are never called to hold office In the
government, and the attitude Of the
whole Of the governing class-of all
the professors, school teachers, clergy
OF both Protestant and Roman Catho-
lie religions, OF the prosperous mid
die classes--is that Of violent opposi-
tion to the doctrines Of Social
Democracy. The world must enter
tain no iliustion that the Social
Democratic leaders speak for Ger
many.
Rule From Above Dowlward.
II the Industrial population had
their fair share OF representation In
the Reichstag they might perhaps
even control that body. But, a.
have time and again reiterated, the
Reichstag has only the power of pub
lie opinion. and the Germany OF today
is ruled by officials appointed from
above, downward. All of these Of
hoials in Germany must be added to
the other classes that I have mem
toned. There are more officials
there than In any other country In
the world. As they owe their very
existence to the government, they
must not only serve that government,
but make the enemies of that govern
msnt their own. Therefore, they and
the circle of their connections are
opponents of the Social Democrats
All this shows how difficult It is
at present for the men OF reasonable
and liberal views, who do not wish to
declare themselves against both re-
ligion and morality, to md a political
refuge.
Chancellor Won Bethmann-H7lIweK,
himself q Liberal at heart, as I have
said, declared that there must be
changes In Germany. It IL perhaps
within the bounds of probability that
great new Liberal party will be
formed to>which I have referred. COM
posed Of the more conservative So
cIal Democrats, OF the remains of the
National Liberal and Progressive par
ties and of the more liberal CT the
Conservatives The important ques-
tion, then, 10 whether the Roman
Catholic or Centrum will voluntarily
dissolve and its members cease TO
seek election merely as representa-
tives of the Roman Catholic Church.
Easiest Transition Is Likely.
believe that the tendency OF Ger.
man liberalism is toward the easiest
transition, that OF making the chan.
celior and his ministers responsible
to the Reichstag and bound to re-
sign after a vote OF want Of conn
dence by that body.
At the time OF the Zabern affair
Scheidemann asserted that the resIK-
nation OF the chancellor must logical
ly follow q vote OF want of conn
dsnce, and II was the chancellor who
| refused to resign, saying that he was
responsible to the Emperor alone. 1t
requires no violent change to bring
about this establishment OF parlia-
mentary government. and, II the
members OF the Reichstag should be
elected from districts fairly consti.
tuted. the world would then be deal
Ing with a liberalizeu Germany and q
Germany which has become liberal
lied without any violent change In
the form OF its government.
or course, coincident with this par
liamentary reform the vicious circle
system of voting in Prussia must
end.
This change to 4 government by a
responsible ministry can be accom-.
plished under the constitution Of the
German Empire by a mere majority
vote OF the Reichstag and q vote in
the Bundesrat, In which less than
fourteen votes ara against the pro-
posed change in the constitution.
This means that the consent OF the
Emperor as Prussian King must be
obtained, and that OF number of
the rulers OF the German States.
In the reasonable liberalization Of
Germany, II It comes, Theodore Wolff
and his father-in-law, Mosse, will
play leading parts The great news
paper, the TagebIatt, which Mosse
owns and Wolff sdits. has through
out the. war been q beacon light a.
once Of reason and Of patrletisn.