The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1917-06-14
GERMAN PEOPLE
NOT DEMOCRATIC
HAVE BEEN TRAINED IN THE
SPIRIT OF .AUTocRAcY.
MINISTER MARBuRG'S IDEAS
Former U. S. Representative In Bel.
GUM Discusses War From New
Angle at Grinnell College
Commencement Ao-day.

Grinnell, Ia, June 13.-The spirit of
aggression on the part of the German
people springs from their scorn of the
democratic form of government, said
Theodore Marburg, former United
States Minister to Belgium, in an ad-
dress at the SEVENTEEN annual COM
mencement of Grinnell College here
today.
At present he declared, the idea of
association with Germany in League
to Enforce Peace is repugnant to the
Allies. But Germany beaten,
changed in spirit and liberalized might
! be accepted into such a circle.
primarily it was Germanys sue
cess in previous wars" he declared,
"and the result that flowed out of it
which brought on present cataclysm.
But while success turned her head, it
lis not the only factor which developed
the German spirit of aggression. Back
of it is the fact the Teutons still re-
gard the democratic form of govern
ment as an experiment.
1.-The painful experience of the pres
ent war has no doubt modified their
views about their own political lnstitu-
tons and leadership. The fight they
have put up, shows how efficient au'
tocracy is in time of war.
The Price of Liberty.
at remains for the democratic peo-
pies to demonstrate their capability
/ OF thinking true in time of world
crisis, of actually surrendoring for the
time being their customary privileges
and even their constitutional liberties
! in order that these leaders may meet
the centralized organization of auto
cratic powers with an organization
which shall be equally effective.
Unless Germany is beaten, thor
oughly beaten, or through revolu-
ton, changes the character and spirit
of her government, we know what we
may look forward to. IL there any
doubt that in such event she would
succeed in imposing on Austria and
her other allies the plan of making
every citizen soldier which she her
self has practiced?
The Central European group, COM
bined with Bulgaria and Turkey,
would then be menace to the world.
Every other nation which had any re-
gard for it's own safety would be COM
pClIed Immediately to resort to like
policy.
"But After the War. What?"
Are we to return to the old ALI
anccs, arraying group against group,
and leading, when war does come, to
war that is almost universal? Or are
we to act as thinking beings, take the
lesson we have learned of successful
government within the state and ap-
ply it between states? From time to
time, great thinkers have pointed to
the need of international organization
But the ambitions or rulers and the
prejudices OF peoples have prevented
any wide concerted effort in that d.
rection. To-day there appears for the
first time in history chance to real
iZe this great project.
with the overthrow of German
arms this great reform for which thu
world iG longing will become possible.
Nay, Germany herself may then form
part of such league. Why not?
! when England took up arms
against the dispoilers of Belgium,
Lord Moreley, retired from the cabin
ct. He doubted whether at his ad-
vanced years he would be able to
stand the labors incident to member
ship in a war cabinet. But above all
lie feared lest the war should make
,autocratic Russia so strong as to be-
come a menace to England.
AT the same time other Englishmen
suggested that Russias association
with liberal governments might liber-
Ialize Russia herself.
"To the establishment of the world
this latter event has actually come
about.
AT present the idea of association
with Germany in a league OF nations
is rcpugnant to the allies. But why
may not a liberal Germany, changed
in spirit, be accepted Immediately and
with equal confidence into the circle
of league by her sister nations?"