Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-06-24

ed he was not rejecting purely Amer
lean opinions. Neither was he express
ing Wilsonian ideal 1t was the
statement of a fact suggested by Ger
man citizens themselves. In Germany
and IN Switzerland several Germans
asked Ambassador James w. Gerard.
after our diplomatic relations had been
broken. to request Mr.. Wilson. in case
Congress declared war, to draw dis
tinction between the kaiser and the
people: between that system of gov
eminent and democracy. They declared
that if the President would do this he
would aid the democratic movement in
Germany and give the people to under
stand that they could have peace when
ever they ruled themselves: whenever
they had the power to determine their
own foreign policies and their peace
terms.
lived and Travelled in Germany for
two years. and 1 became acquainted
with many officials and people: l went
to the various battle fronts from the
Somme to Verdun and from Russia to
Rumania. AT first it appeared to me
as il there was no difference between
the government and the public, but
has been a decided change in internal
conditions and public sentiment. The
Fatherland is divided. Although it
still fights "as one man.. 1t does not
full liberal peoples movement and there
is a rich pan-German autocracy. The
socialists are the real leaders of the
former and the agrarians. the annexa-
tionists the mobiles and the industrial
leaders are supporting the latter.
The kaiser, Field Marshal Won Hin
denburg. Chancellor Won Bethmann
Hollweg and the government are ION
time and for military success. They
are placating the people when circum-
stances demand il and when they can
do SO without antagonizing the eX-
i \.
Germans when they can do so without
arousing the socialists They are play
ing waiting game. II the kaiser
wins the war, he can fulfill the ex-
travagant expectations OF the wealthy
supporters of the monarchy and satisfy
the people. too. because they would
like to win. If the war Is lost, or If it
must be compromised, then the gov
eminent can promise the people re-
forms and the landed interests and the
mobiles will not be in a position to OBJ
ject. because they will not have the
power. By being neutral now, the
government will be able to side with
whatever party is the stronger when
peace comes.
Liberalism and autocracy have been
mobilizing their forces in Germany
for nearly two years. The first great
clash came last December. when the
socialists demanded peace; when the
militarists clamored for unrestricted
submarine war. The government salts
fed both by making a sham peace pro-
posal first, and then by declaring a
submarine blockade zone about allied
coasts. Next to peace the people want
ed Uboat war because they believed
1t would hasten peace
Recently there was another period
of social unrest, and the government
had to compromise by permitting the
reichstag to appoint committee TO
revise the constitution Herr Philip
Scheidemann, leader of the majority
socialist party, was named chairman
The socialists will be satisfied for a
time to fiddle with constitutional re-
form while the nation burns, but there
will be other periods of popular dis
content as the war goes on and as our
strength develops. The emperor has
promised election reforms after the
war. knowing that If he loses he Will
have to keep his promises, but that, If
he wins it will not be necessary to do
so. Meanwhile f1irtations with Russia
with separate peace possibility make
the people believe the ultimate vic
tory" they have been promised is near
ing
I stated at the beginning that this
was a war between peoples as FAR as
military operations are concerned. But
1t is more than that. 1t Is fight be
tween informed. free citizens of great
democracies and misinformed subjects
of a powerful military organization.
From time to time the Germans have
had visions of their governments de-
ceit. but the officials, through an inhu-
man censorship mold political opinion
at will. The censorship is a cure-a III
for political discomfort Late last De
cember Consul Won Haeften, one of the
directors of the food propaganda de-