Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-06-14

choice. This flag under which we
serve would have been dishonored
had we withheld our hand.
Not Enemies of German People.
But that is only part of the story
We know now as clearly as we
knew before we were ourselves en-
gagged that we are not the enemies
OF the German people and that they
are not our enemies. They did not
originate or desire this hideous war
or wish that we should be drawn
into 1t: and we are vaguely con-
cause, as they. will some day see it.
as well as our own. They are them
selves in the grip of the same sinis-
ter power that has now at last
stretched its ugly talons out and
drawn blood from us. The whole
world is at war because the whole
world is in the grip of that power
and Is trying out the great battle
which shall determine whether 1t is
to be brought under its mastery or
fling itself free.
The war was begun by the mill
proved to be also the masters of
Austria-Hungary. These men have
never regarded nations as peoples,
men. women and children Of like
blood and frame as themselves. for
whom governments existed and In
whom governments had their life.
They have regarded them merely
as serviceab1e organizations which
they could by force or intrigue bend
or corrupt to their own purpose.
They have regarded the smaller
states. in particular. and the peo-
pies who could be overwhelmed by
force. as their natural tools and in
struments of domination. Their
purpose has long been avowed.
The statesmen of other nations. to
whom that purpose was incredible.
paid little attention; regarded what
German professors expounded in
their classrooms and German writer's
set forth to the world as the goal of
German policy as rather the dream
of minds detached from practical
affairs. as preposterous private con-
ceptions of German destiny. than as
the actual plans of responsible
rulers; but the rulers Of Germany
themselves knew all the while what
concrete plans. what well advanced
intrigues lay back Of what the pro-
fessors and the writer's were say
ing. and were glad to go forward
Balkan states with German princes.
putting German officers at the serv
ice of Turkey to drill her armies
and make interest with her govern
ment. developing plans for sedition
and rebellion in India and Egypt.
setting their fires in Persia. The
demands made by Austria upon
Serbia were a mere single step in a
plan which compassed Europe and
Asia from Berlin to Bagdad. They
hoped those demands might not
arouse Europe. but they meant to
for they thought themselves ready
for the final issue of arms.
Their plan was to throw a broad
belt of German military power and
political control across the very
center of Europe and beyond the
Asia; and Austria Hungary was to
be as much their tool and pawn as
Serbia or Bulgaria or Turkey Of the
ponderous states of the east. Aus
tria-Hungary. indeed. was to be-
come part of the central German
the same forces and influences that
had originally cemented the German
states themselves The dream had
its heart at Berlin. 1t could have
had heart nowhere else, 1t re-
jected the idea of solidarity of race
played no part in 1t at all. 1t con-
templated binding together racial
and political units which could be
kept together only by force-Czechs.
Magyars, Croats. Serbs. Rumani-
ans. Turks, Armenians-the proud
states of Bohemia and Hungary. the
stout little commonwealths OF the
Balkans. the indomitable Turks. the
subtitle peoples of the east These
peoples did not wish to be united.
They ardently desired to direct their
own affairs. would be satisfied only
by undisputed independence. They
could be kept quiet only by the
presence or the constant threat Of
armed men. They would live under
common power only by sheer COM
pulsion and await the day of revo-
luton. But the German military
statesmen had reckoned with all
that and were ready to deal with it
in their own way.
Part of Plan Executed.