New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-09-17

can be found even In the ranks Of the
democracy, not excluding the Social
democratic And If the working class.
if the bourgeoise. have been cured, up
70 a certain point, from the epidemic
Of imperialism which had infected al
most all the bourgeosie and entered
deep into the ranks Of the laboring
classes of the population, that was not
due TO principles of socialism or of
democracy, it was not due to idealism
or internationaGsm, but it resulted
from the long duration OF the war,
from hunger, from misery, from fear
for the economic consequences of the
war.
Hope Of Decentralization
"On the whole, however, II can be
said that the reactionaries are anneXa-
tionists and all the various democratic
factions are anti-annexationist. VIII
the Left. and the Centre, which in a
very great degree is supporting the
Left, succeed in democratizing Ger
many? This is the question which In
terests not only Germany, but also all
mankind.
"The present author has no more
ardent hope than that Of Germany's
characterization. But he regards his
duties to mankind as more important,
and that is the reason why he repeats
again what he has already stated more
than once: do not build too great
hopes and, above all, premature hopes
of Germany's characterization.
"The course of the recent crisis up
TO the present moment is entirely Justi-
flying my warning.
There were four questions to be de
cided, one in regard to peace, which
we have Just discussed, and three
others in regard to internal politics:
% the Chancellor, ~ the question Of
Prussian electoral rights. (3) the in
PRODUCTION of a parliamentary form Of
government in the empire.
"Of these three problems the first
has been solved, the second may soon
be solved. and the third-which is
bv far the most important has not
been solved at all.
"The substitution Of DR.. Michaelis
for Won Bethmann-H ollweg is in the
main an event which is more sensa-
tional than important. II must be adj
mitted that DR.. Michaelis is the first
plebeian Chancellor of the German En-
pire. To those who think that this is
a proof Of Germany's characterization
| must say that there were many sim
pie shepherds in the past who later be
came prominent as popes. Besides, the
nobility of Won Bethmann-Ho
family is of very recent date. In the
main. Bethmann and Michaelis are of
the same calibre-honest bureaucrats,
products OF an administrative career.
of whom Bismarck was in the habit OF
speaking with irony and without any
respect.
What brought about Bethmann's
fall? To the very end he seemed 10
possess the entire favor of the Emperor
and of the popular Liberal party, and
at least the semi-confidence of the ma
iority- Socialists. The enmity OF the in
dependent Socialists could do nothing
but aid him. His most implacable OPP
ponents we're among the deputies of the
Right.
"The nobility, who hated him more
for his concessions 10 the demands of
modern democracy than for his demo
cratic tendencies. which he had, In
fact. never evinced; the followers of
Tirpitz. who never pardoned his long
opposition 10 the submarine warfare;
the members of the general staff, who
did not find him sufficiently brutal and
bestial; the Crown Prince, that Abb
solom of the future, with his brain
poisoned with the vapors OF pan
Germanism, who boils with rage when
some one does not say loudly enough,
Hit him hard and who is an incon-
sistent fool that ought to be kicked at
these are the gentlemen by whom
Bethmann-Hollweg has been dismissed,
and they were Joined by others who
sincerely or ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
that the Chancellor since the declara-
ton OF war had been the principal OBJ
stacle 70 peace negotiations.
His fall does not mean victory of