Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1917-10-23

everywhere on the defensive hard-pressed
and weakening defensive. This years campaign
in the West is crowded with results the military
and moral significance of which is unmistakable.
The fact that the Germans have lost to General
haig in the last six months more than three hun
dred and thirty cannon without capturing one in
return; the fact that they have lost some sixty
thousand prisoners and have taken only about hf-
teen thousand the fact that they have been beaten
from most of the high ground in Flanders down
into the plains where their position will become
untenable by next spring if not before; the fact
that they have yielded to great thrust of the
British and have failed, except in brief intervals
and at scattered points, in every attempted often
sive of their own-what does all this mean if not
a steady and irremediable decline in German
strength and German morale?
The significance of the Kaisers failure to give
blow for blow and to hold back the enemy on the
most important of the battle fronts is heightened
by the equally obvious failure of the U-boat cam
paign, which his chief il not only reliance OF
ending the before defeat should overwhelm him.
U-boat ruthlessness he told his subjects last Feb
ruary, would bring peace within three months, or
six months at the outermost. Allied shipping was
to be sunk so fast that England would be isolated
and starved into submission: the United States was
TO be frightened into quiescence by the sheer ter
rOrism of German piracy, at least prevented
from sending as much shipload of troops across
the Atlantic How have the hopes thus kndled in the
mind of the German public dimmed and died away!
Won Tirpitz still may talk vaguely of eventual
submarine triumph, but the German soldiers
the Western front know that muniton supplies
keep pouring in for the British and the French de-
spite all that the U-boats can do; and the German
rulers know that not only is England mistaken but
that Americas military power grows constantly
formida
the front and in those training to follow. The
submarine promise stands completely belied to-
day the promise that the Verdun offensive would
win the war stood discredited year ago.
These conditions and tendencies make the de-
feat and overthrow of German militarism merely
matter of time, provided the Allies keep up their
blows and thrusts. 1t is obvious, too, that the
heavier the blows and the sharper the thrusts, the
sooner will decision be won. And it is only thus
that decision at all in keeping with the interests
and ideals of the allied democracies, or at all
worthy OF the heroic sacrifices which they have
made, can be won. When the people of Germany
realize that their Kaiser is hopelessly beaten,
they will forsake him, but not before. When they
see that the vast military machine to which they
chained their faith is broken and smashed beyond
repair, they will be ready to give it up; but not
before. When they are convinced by the complete
success of the Allied blockade and by decisive
victory of the Allied armies that the rights OF
other nations and the conscience of mankind can
not be trampled on with impunity, then will the
way be clear to Just and dependable peace.
But IL is altogether fatuous to suppose that a
nation bred to generations of autocracy and OBJ
sessed with the idea Of world conquest will listen
to democratic and conciliatory appeals Having
found despotism and Hohenzollern brigandage
materially profitable in the past, Germany will not
be minded to renounce them until they proved
to be disastrously improbable. What is the in
ternational record of that Junker-ridden mon
saber-rattlng and predatory war. Down through
long decades it has come its bucconeering way,
growing in power and arrogance and greed, be-
lieving wight is the only Right and bent upon
Prussianizing the world. Civilization cannot com
promise with this vandal regime In the present
German Government there is no moral basis on
which to establish and maintain just relations
with the outside world. no semblance of honor or
conscience on which other nations could rely.
Not until that brutal tyranny which has lived
by the sword pershes by the sword will peace be
possible, the freedom and justice that make
peace worth the having be scure Other ways
would lead speedily enough to a treacherous and
short-lived truce but the kind of peace that Amer
tanned in the crushing defeat of Kaiserism and
the complete establishment of the German people.
Happily for mankind, those ends are now plainly
achievable
Those pigs At the fair really too fine to
be called swine.