Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-06-24
OF Germany and the Real Peace Snag Today

war II will not be necessary to have
democracy after the war, IL the kaiser
wins. because. as the ruler of central
Europe. he VIII be able to dominate
not only that nation. but the whole
world.
Today the German government 10
maneuvering to give the impression
10 the outside world that II favors
liberalism In Germany. The kaiser and
his ministers know that. IL they can
give this impression to the people Of
the entente countries. and especially to
the Americans. they may be tempted to
make peace. Macmillan Harden, editor
Of Die Zukunft. is permitted to write
his liberal articles. the socialists are
permitted to talk election reforms. the
North German Gazette. the official for
eign office newspaper. prints peace
feelers." with the object of dividing the
allies. The government wants tho
world to believe now that II is becom-
ing liberal. It is conducting a propa-
ganda Of democratic bluff at the pres
eut time. The socialists are permitted
to go to stockholm to talk peace terms
Austria-Hungary and Turkey are per-
mitted to voice their agreement with
the Russian proposal of no annexation
and no indemnities." But the imperial
German government never states what
II viii do with Belgium. 1t never states
whether II will evacuate and paw for
damages in northern France and Bel
GUM II does not state whether il will
give up the territory IL holds in Poland
and Russia. The German government
wants to place the blame for annexa-
ton on the entente. hoping to trap tho
entente and the United States in a peace
conference where 1t expects to sow
seeds of discomfort.
All through the war the world has
as il is constituted today cannot be-
trusted to keep a treaty or a promise
And 1t cannot be trusted today in its
sham liberalism. II the people in the
allied and American states permit
themselves to be tricked by Germany'e
propaganda of democracy. they viii
meet crushing defeat and Germany
will dominate the world
The real peace obstacle is the Ger.
man military organization. The peaSa
snag is the present system Of German
government. which gives the kaiser
complete authority in war and peace.
None Of the nations leagued against,
the central powers today can afford to
think about peace until there 10 . re-
sponsible peoples government in Ger
many. There must be a thorough
house cleaning" Tho German people
must be given to understand that they
cannot have peace until they rule. Their
government is outlawed; 1t cannot be
trusted in war. 1t certainly must not
be trusted in peace. A peace treaty
perial government which permits
Prussia TO dominate Germany, Austria
Hungary. Bulgaria and Turkey will
be as valueless as the treaty not to
would be kept by the imperial German
government long as Germany re-
spected the promises In the Sussex
case. such peace would be only an
other scrap of paper"
The United States and the allies arS
in the war to make democracy safe ana
as soon as possible they must rive the
German people to understand that peace
will not be made, that the war Will
not end until the peace sna9-thA
present government-fs uprooted and
discarded.
The present system Of German govern,
overthrow. in one Of two ways. Either
long war ending with a crushing defeat
on the battlefield Of the German fornss
will do it or the German people win brin0
1t about. The German people today havS
the greatest opportunity Of the war to
take the government into their own hands:
will be lasting and secure. They can make
Germany republic. as George Ledebour.
the reichstag socialist, limited q few days
ago. II they do they will make Germany
democracy. and when Germany is free
then the United States and the allies can
discuss seriously terms of peace.
II the German people do not take the AT
fairs OF state into their own hands, then
the allies will continue the war until
Wiihelm the konquerer 10 overthrow and
defeated II it takes three years more to
must do it II we have the bitter de-
termination to stay in the war until this
is accomplished we will establish a de-
m moe IN Germany and make democracy
saIe throughout the world. Then we shall
overthrow the Hohenzollerns and the
present military dictators of Europe. The
united States-allies combination Will
prove TO the world that it does not nav
10 hghf for territory. Our battle cry
Peace with the German people as soon
as their government is q democracy"
Copyright. 1917. by the Bell Syndicate. I,e.,