South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1917-12-02
BY William English Walling-

Why can autocraces wage war better than dem
dismiss this question little
thought. easy that where all pow
concentrated long periods in hand OF a
few persons it is possible to evolve better organza-
ton training and technique than where power in
divided mutabIe many. This
may may be 1t may be doubted if the
French army-in view of the inferior wealth
strategic position of the countrys poor
quality than the German. If the French military
organization is inferior is not much inferior Ger
many's chief advantage lies quite another direc
ton. namely, in her power, physically and mentally
suppress German minOrities. time
and IN time of preparation Tor war vi len Is a la
vOrite German definition Of peace Minortes
pressed physically the barracks mentally the
schools The barracks teach the lesson that even II
the Germans hurled a will
they helpless hostages, who will be shot down
until the kaiser IS either defeated or accompshes his
objects; and that the burden defeat especially Will
bs shifted to their shoulders Thus they never
ready revolt always ready the kaisers
peace. school they "indoctrinated" with kais-
ersm; history politics morality all of the Hob
enzolern brand The purpose here is to make them
desire a when the kaiser desires it. Even when
this purpose does wholly succeed the inocula ton
or ndoctrinatior has its result and rational OPPOSE
ton and nilarsm is paralyzed in most pupils.
ADVANTAGE" OF AUToCRACY.
Now democracies repress minorities neither by
physical by governmental propaganda-and
government attempts these methods it
TO be democracy. But there is nothing
prevent autOcratc foreign government from car
rying on propaganda II a democracy. Even il this
propaganda is openly directed against the democratic
government way has been found by which the
latter can EFFECTIVELY defend iself-short of the very
difficult costly process of general enIight-
ment OF whole community. line of dem
defense totally useless time since
requires many years if a generation. and n far
time the enemy's propaganda would have
plished all its purposes.
This propaganda all difficult 10 combat
because il adjusts itself the form government
the country where operates Jay Gould said that
the Erie republican Pennsylvania and
democratic New York The German propaganda is
monarchst Greece, artistocratc in Sweden clerical
in Spain and ultra democratic-no "socialistc'-in
America and the entente countries. operates
clusively underneath in this country
scarcely noticed by wel-todo educated class
es until the almost three years old Ii inds
its favorite saloon among readers
of yellow journals and among the followers
ciaIism is theoretically ultrademocratic the
man socialists their humble disciple in the small
er countries Europe together with German or GER
incorporating immigrants in this country the whole
apparatus this organization international DEM
ocracy' has been captured for the purposes of the
aggressive natonalism of German auOcracy.
Why many German Americans for militar-
ism against democracy and repubicanism-at least
until into the war? Many foreign ma
tionaltes have been thoroughly Americanized and
none seemed more AmeTcanized than the Germans.
Why did they not try to spread American democracy
and republicanism in Germany encouraging
Germany spread her military despOtism over demOc-
racies and republics Many good are gwen.
all OF them together suffice TO explain this
amazing phenomenon The answer has been overlook
ed because its extreme simplicty. The movement
hopeless before the Pro-German propaganda in