The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1917-10-18

ambassador to Turkey in May, and
which the kaiser fully revealed to
his lieutenants in July. was the Gull
mination of plans that had been I'M
der way for % years. Just as Bis
marck had plotted and contrived 20
unite the German states by war and
to create an empire dominated by
Prussia, so the kaiser had brooded
| over his own dream OF making Ger
many the master state Of the world.
|. Throughout all his policies. for
quarter of century runs this Welt
macht motif, like the motif of a
| Wagnerian opera. Everything that
was done or left undone had its in
SEPARATION in this single purpose. Year
| in and year out the kaiser brooded
over this ambition. in which he was
the central figure of stupendous
moving picture, directing and con-
trolling the destinies OF the world.
When he came to the throne he
found a mighty military machine al
ready constructed for his use. 1t was
not enough 1t was necessary to
create a mighty industrial financial
and transportation machine as we'll,
and to build q navy that could mobi-
lie this power for use anywhere on
the globe.
| KEEL CANAL WAS
GREAT WAR MEASURE.
The Kiel canal was a war measure.
Government aid to German indus
tries was a war measure. Govern
ment regulation and stimulation Of
agriculture was a war measure. The
German railroad systems were devel-
oped with an eye single to moving
vast armies to tho east and west.
Everything that could contribute to
the winning of a war was encouraged
by the government. Krupps was
made almost a national institution
under the personal patronage of the
kaiser, who. by the way, was one of
its stockholders.
Just as the army was in charge Of
military experts, so German finance,
German industry. German agriculture
and German administration were all
turned over to- experts. It was a ma
ton of experts with boundless am
bition and infinite arrogance, but
with the narrow vision of experts.
To create this new war machine
the kaiser made Germany a great
| materialistic empire. He found a
disciplined and dociIe people and he
proceeded to mold them to his new
scheme of world domination. Ev-
| erything that was characteristic of
| the old Germany-the Germany of
'48-was eventually smothered and
stif1ed.
The old idealism, the old phil
osophy, the old religion. the old free
/ dom and passion for education all
disappeared. The state, the church,
the schools. the universities, art,
| literature and music were shaped to
the kaiser's will as the army, the
navy, the finances. the industries and
| a pTtcultUTa xvera ahannd
PRINCE HENRYS VISIT
PART OF PROPAGANDA.
The kaiser became the head of a
new Prussian system erected upon
the foundations of the system that
Frederick the Great had created out
Of his genius. and war remained as
ever the chief industry Of Prussia.
In pursuance of the war plans or
the kaiser and the pan-Germans who
inspired him and probably used him
as the agent of their ambitions, the
world was besieged by armies of
| Prussian spies, advancing Prussian
interests and doing Prussia's work
! everywhere. Not a nation escaped
this infamous invasion.
The kaiser's brother. Prince Henry,
was sent to the United States os-
tensibly to assist in the launching of
kindle among Americans of German
| descent their vaterland's liebe and
| organize them into German societies
| that could be directed from Berlin to
suit the exigencies Of the imperial
policy.
At least $4,000 Germans were turn
ed loose upon Spain, and probably
100000 upon England. France was
overrun with them. There was no
occupation, calling or industry in
which they did not make their way
They 3swarmed over South America,
over the near east and the far east,
and all Of them were card indexed
for the uses of Berlin. Nothing was
overlooked.
Nothing is more characteristic of
the Prussian methods than the man.
ner in which they obtained possession
OF Turkey. After the sultan was
deposed the Young Turks were in
hard straits to maintain themselves.
Throughout the Moslem world they
were generally under suspicion as
Free Masons and atheists. The Eu-
ropean capitals were generally skep-
teal. In England a liberal govern
ment was in power, and 1t was not
disposed to take on any Turkish com
plications.
BERLIN BECOMES MASTER
IN AFFAIRS OF TURKEY.
The Turks. as a whole, were dis
trustful Of the French because of
Syria and frankly antagonistic to
Russia. That was Germany's oppor-
tunity. German military experts
We're sent to explain to the Turks
how their disasters had come about
in the two Balkan wars, and how
similar disasters might be avoided in
the future by proper coordination of
military and transportation re-
sources. Germany was willing to
spend money in gambling that the
young Turks could retain control of
the government and the young Turks
were glad to be gambled on.
Slowly. but surely, Germany push
ed itself into Turkish affairs until it
became the predominating partner.
Berlin had made itself Indispensable
to the men in control of the Turkish
government and when the war came
Turkey was a German pawn.
The Turks did not always submit
gracefully. There were many pro-
tests against German pretensions, |
but in the end the kaiser always pre-
vailed. 1t had not been the original
intention of Berlin to bring Turkey
into the war-Germany had other
plans-but the arrival Of the Goeben |
and the Breslau in the Dardanelles |
changed the situation. There was no
desire on the part of the young
Turks to enter upon a fresh war, hut |
by that time they were helplessly en-
meshed in the German net.
So completely was the German gov
eminent the master Of the situation |
that even after Turkeys entrance in |
the war became inevitable the Turk |
ish government was held back until |