Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1917-07-16
THE ULTIMATE GOAT.

The German people undoubtedly want
peace. With every family suffering
from dead or wounded and half the
people underfed II IS not strange that
there should be unrest which finds
voice in the public assembly called the.
reichstag but nothing has happened as
yet which would promise that the Ger
man people can have their own way in
their own affairs.
The German government is so art
fully constructed that generations of
development must occur before the
voice Of its people can command the
policies Of its government and the
reichstag today is looked upon by most
students of government as a mere de-
batting society. Control Of the German
armies is nowhere lodged with the
reichstag.
The German empire is confedera-
ton Of principal:ties held together by
council called the bundesrath. The
members Of the bundesrath are ap-
pointed by the kings or rulers Of the
principalities and the king Of Prussia
appoints a majority. That is why Prus-
sta dominates Germany. The present
emperor Of Germany is the king Of
Prussia who appointed a majority Of
the bundesrath which elected him en-
peror Of Germany.
Holding corporations in American
finance which control bare majority
Of the stock in a larger company and
are themselves controlled by the hold
Ing OF bare majority and thus afford
small minority dominance over
great majority IN the large company
have nothing on the German govern
mental scheme.
The system OF cumulative voting
whereby the property holding classes
cast votes somewhat IN accordance
with their holdings has enabled the
privileged classes in Germany to con-
troll even the voice Of the debating So
ciety but conditions IN Germany are so
extreme that the voice Of the liberal
element can not be suppressed. The
political disturbances now going on are
merely the noise Of this unrest. Even
tho the reichstag may vote for reforms
the reforms will not be forthcoming
until the rulers get scared and bend
before the storm
Germany Will never be democracy
in fact until there is a public assembly
elected by the German people which
has some power. The chancellor must
be made responsible to that body and
the army made responsible to him. AS
it is now the reichstag has no control
over the chancellor and the chancellor
has no authority over the army. The
military class do as they please and
leave the civil authorities to trail along
behind with apologies for what has
been done.
However, It is prophetic that the
voice Of the German people is being
given audible expression for a peace
without annexation or indemnities The
political leaders OF Austria and Hung
airy are supporting the socialists and
liberals of Germany in this demand and
it might happen that the kings, and
generals would get scared and yield or
1t might come to pass that they would
be dethroned. The German armies are
not getting anywhere with their war
and the enemies of Germany seem to
be on the increase in number. AS the
allied nations force the central powers
back and distress among the people
becomes more acute more and more
!! viii it be necessary to find a goat.
Jus now 1t would appear that the
kaiser has named one or two public