Saturday news. (Watertown, S.D.) 19??-19??, 1917-08-30
THE VAR md DEMOCRACY.

Fl VAR AND DEMOCR4CY.
When the war broke out in Europe The Saturday New
was one OF the few American newspapers which accepted tn
view that the development of the spirit OF democracy, am
especially the growth OF socialism in the German empire, wa
one of the factors which had entered into the transaction.
The socialists held the balance of power in the German
relchstag, which is but a debating society in fact, being withou
lslative body and one-tlird Of the voting population of th
Practically one-third Of the membership Of this semileg
lsiative body and ene-tEird 0 fthe voting population of thu
empire We're composed Of socialists. Repeatedly the reichs
tag had refused to accede to the wishes of German autocrac,
and had been virtually dissolved.
Why? Because, if the spirit of democracy should con
tlnue to develop in Germany as it had been developing during
the previous decade, German autocracy-which is but another
name for militarsm-would eventually fall by the wayside
Hence, if there was basis for the suspicion that the wa,
was brought on, in part, in the hope that the triumph of mill
tarlsm would tend to estop the growth of democracy, the PEG
pie OF America may comprehend what President Wilson meant
III his address with reference to the need Of American inter
5ventlon to preserve the principles for which democracy con
tends.
In this connection we reproduce the following editorial
from Sunday mornings Sioux Falls Press
THE zABERN AFFAIR AND THE WAR.
Former Ambassador Gerard in his book "My Four Years in
Germany" expresses his conviction that the infamous zabern affair
was one Of the causes which determined the German government
to assault the world. Conditions in Germany made it necessary
for the military, for its own preservation, to accomplish something
fr he people to thus get back into their good graces.
The military was tottering in Germany a a result of that affair.
The government, sympathetic to the military, was under fire in the
reichstag which represents the people in so far as the people are
represented at all in Germany. At zabern the Alsacians were .
sentful of the arrogance of the Prussian regiment stationed there.
The commander directed the soldiers to dispense gatherings of civil
ians The social democrats in the rdchstag and the people gener-
ally throughout Germany became aroused. The kaiser throughout
the crisis remained at a hunting lodge enjoying himself. A conces-
sion was made the people when the government ordered the court
martial of the officers responsible for turning the troops out against
the civilian population of zabern. This was nulnfed when the
court martial acquitted the officers and held that they had done only
then duty. The situation became more acute when a young Prussan
officer cut down with his sword a crippled cobbler who had spoken
dfsrespectuly to him, For this the young officer was arrested and
tried and sentenced to prison. The sentence was Immediately WITH
drawn Q the ground that this stalwart young officer had in self
defense struck the crippled cobler with his sword. In the reichs-
tag Won Falkenhayn defending the military against the attacks of
the social democrats spoke in eulogy of the young bully at zabern.
stating that he was the kind of officer Germany needed.
The German government sought to quiet the disturbance by
removing the regiment from zabern and stationing another regi-
mehs a mere set of officers, at that point. The Alsacans
had no recourse, and they made the best Of it. But in the reichs-
tag the social democrat scheidemann, who is now in prison serving
a sentence administered to him in the early days Of the war for
speaking too boldly to suit the government, kept the discussion
going 1t was commended that Won BethmannHonweg and the kaiser
were upportng ne military on every hand without regard to what
element might do. BY a huge majority a vote of lack of col
hdence in the government was passed in the reichstag. The chan
ceIor was invited to resign.
The chancellor refused to auit. Germany ~ said vas not
England, where a vote Of lack Of confidence in the government
meant designations. He called attention to the fact that when the
government had consented to a change of rules demanded by the
reiehstag semes time earlier he had expressly reserved the right to W
disregard. in behalf of the government anv resolution nassad Tbe
chancellor told the reichstag that there is no such thing u.s. paria-
mentary government in Germany. He, the chancellor was appointed
by the emperor who al under n q leaal ~ moral obnsa4ian 10 80
suit ne relchstag in such appointments. And the chancellor
promised the reichstag he would fight uneompremisingIy any effort 10 S
alter this system. The situation, he pointed out, was one merely
Of a difference of opinion between the government and the reichstag.
Therefore he would not resign.
That was il December, 1918 seven months later the German
military had attacked the democratic world. The military, with
the sacquiescence Of the government, had set forth 10 redeem Itself
before the German people by selling great prizes Of war, ~ com
pelhng al civilization to bow before German authority. 5 deliver
y g upefman his heritage The German military, whose brutal
lndiHerence to the rights of civilians had not ony aroused resent
ment among the civilian population but had driven hundreds of
thousands Of emIgrants e the United States and to German over
seas colonies, was losing its prestige; and the government which
needed IT, restore confidence The military faced the necessity 81
doing something for the German people
At all events that IS theway the former American ambassador
views the situation. It sounds not Il Bit improbable
M&#M## M@M