White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1917-04-27
AutOCraCy VS..
Democracy

The following war article was
contributed by Col. Mcdowell of
Hanford and is published by re-
quest:
The present great war was
caused by the feet that the two
most despotic autocracies of Europe
felt their thrones trembling.
AS after the closing of the Napo-
leonic wars Prussia, Austria and
Russia formed the "Holy Alliance"
to suppress democracy in Europe,
just before the present war Ger
many and Austria formed another
"Holy Alliance" to lay the demo-
cratic spirit that was again rife in
Europe.
Germany and Austria were al
ready in close alliance, and hoped
by the aid of German influence at
the Russian court to have Russia
to join them. They failed in this.
The Gear was afraid. Grand Duke
Nicholas urged the Gar to mobil-
ize the army and join the democrat
ic allies, telling him that il he
failed to do so, there would be a
Revolution in Russia. The Gar
replied that the Russian people
were too ignorant to form an or
ganization that would give trouble,
and besides, they had no leader.
The Grand Duke answered that he
himself would head the revolution
and be its leader.
This frightened the weak czar
he ordered the mobilization Of the
army and Germany declared war
upon Russia. This forced Russia
into alliance with the democratic
allies and was the Kaiser's first
failure in his general plan.
But now it was too late for Ger
many and Austria to retreat from
the purpose they had had in view
for years and been preparing for.
They believed Europe would be
COMPOUNDED by the surprise and al
so caught in state of unprepared-
ness. They believed that the great
German war machine could drive
through Luxembourg and Belgium
and conquer France in a very short
campaign. Having put France out
of the game and gained access to
the English channel, England
would be at their mercy and would
make.a separate peace. Then Rus
STA would be attacked by an ire
sistable German and Austrian army
and being without munitions or
other supplies, would soon sue for
peace and join the autocratic alli-
ance. This would give the auto
cratic powers complete mastery of
Europe.
But the brave Belgians held the
Germans in check long enough to
enable gallant France to get into
action; and the battle of the
Marine knocked several cogs out of
the German war machine and saved
Paris. The Germans also failed to
take Calais and get to the English
Channel by this route.
Although the machine was some
what damaged, they attemted to
drive it on to Paris by way Of YER
dun. Now the machine has backed
away miles from Verdun- much
more rapidly than it advanced.
In the meantime Russia has be-
come a democracy and thus taken
government out of the. hands of
traitors who were playing to the
hand of Germany. Thus Russia
has doubled her power. One rea-
son for the retreat of the Germans
in France may be that they have
sent large forces to the Russian
1rOnC WIN Ine purpose OIL making
tremendous drive on Russia while
Russia is in a transitory stage
passing from an autocracy to a
democracy. 1t is to be hoped that
in this, as in all their main objec-
tives, the autocrats will fail.
Today the kaiser and the emperor
Of Austria would make peace on
almost any terms offered by the
democratic allies; but for the fear
these autocrats have of their own
peoples. A peace falling so far
short of what their peoples have
given millions of lives to attain;
and SO far short of the world do
minion that had been promised by
their rulers. would cause revolu-
ton in Germany and Austria and
the dethronement of the emperors,
and democratizing of these nations.
So the Great War" which was