The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1917-04-12

keventlow Is entirely logical. Thi
Z" war is the German monarchys war
IL was started to put and keep tina
{. peculiar system Of absolutism on ton
II That system Is truly the rock founda
Il ton of Gcrmany's war. And since thu
continuance Of the system is involved
n in the war il is indeed necessary fol-
d the monarchy TO win il with any
a means--with murder, slavery, barbar-
0 Gus destruction, bombs upon hospitals
and topedoes against hospital ships
h anything that comes TO the mon
e archy's hands. The reasoning ia as
, absolute as the system.
, The only trouble with regard to this
, reasoning, so far as the American de-
mocracy is concerned, is that il works
just the other way around from that
in which Count Rcventlow intends IL.
Rising in their wrath against methods
which are contrary to civilization, the
American people see that these meth
ods are the witchs brood OF Prussian
absolutism, and that IL is necessary
forthe world to destroy the dam along
with her abominable litter. We can
only thank the chosen champion Of the
Prusslam system for linking the cause
and the effect so admirably.
But that Prussianism can never tri-
umph on this basis Of barbarous
means for tyrannical end is a fact
which evidently is beginning to be
borne in upon the center and master
of 1t all. We are told today that the
German emperor and king of Prussia
has directed his Prussian prime min
lister NATURALLY the same man, Won
Bethmann Hollweg, who is the imper-
ial German chancellor) to submit for
his royal and imperial consideration a
scheme of electoral reforms in Prus-
sia, affecting the upper as well as the
lower house of the Landtag. The plan
which the king and Kaiser desires evil
IDENTIFY includes the abolition of the
reign of the classes in Prussia, which
IS absolutely insured by the present
system of multiple voting,and it pro-
poses to put an end to the veto of the
1errenhaus, which is purely aristo-
ratio, upon the legislation of the
chamber of Deputies. The PROPOSE
ion, as we have it today, is clearly
ub thrown TO the revolutionary whale
which is beinning to break the surface
f the waters in Germany.
1t is most interesting situation.
The general electoral system in the
'erman empire--that is, the system
f elections to the Imperial Parla-
1ent-is democratic, is liberal. There,
uffrage is universal, and nominally
he Kaiser is but the president of the
'erman confederation. But the Prus-
ian monarchy, with its really abso-
lte powers, sits astride Of the admin
itration Of the affairs of the empire.
s Count Reventlow shows in the
test article from which we have
loted, it is absoutism for which
ermany under Prussian rule, has
one to war, and in behalf of which it
ust murder and enslave and antago-
re the whole liberal world. Germ
~ can free herself only by freeing
'ussia and the other states which,
th systems as aristocratic and a.
solute as Prussia's, back up this ty-
nnical control. There are signs that
e docile German is becoming restive,
d that the emperor is seeking TO
IN the tide with promises 10 consid-
a reform is most significant. But
is to consider 1t only, he says up
the return Of our warriors" The
rman people may not be content to
1t for their reforms till the war
RS get home-especially a. the e.
,tial purpose Of the war IL TO fur
r rock-rib the monarchy.--Boston
inscript.