The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1917-07-14
GREAT COLLAPSE.
WITHIN GERMANY
DUE, PARIS SAYS
Recent Events in Berlin
Lend Strength to Theory
War May Soon End.

w dI Ndy DUH Gfuu.
Paris, July 14-Paris is specializing
pleasurably on the evidences of inter
nal troubles In Germany. The secret
session of the Reichstag, the filter
ing hither and thither of the Kaiser
and his generals, the evident unreason-
ness of Won Bethmann Hollweg, and
above all the Erzberger attack and
the sensational coalition between the
Catholic and Socialist party fit into
the theory of the wars sudden ending
this year by German collapse, to
which many weH-informed people
hold tenaciously. Such theorists ad
nit that the present storm may blow
over, but they assert that the me-
neurological conditions will produce
another and more serious one, and
finally, militarisn and HehenzelIern-
ism will be e11gulfed in a hurricane.
Erzberger's recent visit to Swift
erland gives point to his present at
titude. ,Parisebservest hinkr
titude Paris observers think he as
certained few unpleasant truths
when he went outside the German
embargo on Information. He was
unsuccessful in his attempt to enlist
the Vatican in a peace effort, but as
the result of what he. learned by con-
tact with the outside world the scales
fell from his eyes, and he went back
home prepared to make sacrifices.
The depreciation of Erzberer's at
tack in the German press cannot hide
the fact that he represents a solid
block of German opinion, and the
threatened consolidation for peace
aims of the two leading parties hith-
erto standing at extremes has Great
ed something like a, panic at Potsdam>
The German rulers have been playing
a dangerous game. They depend on
public discipline for sustaining the
weight of the war, Fer months they
have been stretching discipline to the
breaking point. They have been
telling the people to be patient as the
submarines would reduce England in
two months.
Five months have passed, and Eng
land has grown far stronger, They
took gamblers risk on the sub1nar~
ines. Not only have the submarines
fallen short, but their law1ess employ
ment compelled the United States to
enter the war. Erzberger and other
German observers going to Holland
and Switzerland undoubtedly have TAX
en- home some information about the
$50 anu steso ~ Auief. :
| til sight to the wilfully blind eyes in
Berlin.
! The submarine drive has almost
reached g. point where it may be def
nite1y regarded as a military failure
Having built SO largely on it's success,
the people having taken the assur-
ances al their lace value, the ka1Sers
COVER n INNER Is now oonIronteo Dy tne
PIoea1in low " te - Ing puoilc Soown 2.
ans oplnion ieSns 70 Sne DeisI tnat
nsiein Hss tns eHpia n Z. OF the ar
ralos on hnsland- lhen spectacular
cnar acter ana com arauVe success
may oa144e lns GerInah people SO as
70 a1yerI IneT MINDS from the U
Doals 10 the Sole necessity OF De
Inusins Fne 1nah PUBIC Is aItfi-
puleu me a - 81 US Diu.,
snort une ago, Wnicn events called
most palfaSslngiy WILnn TWO days
11D oesSs i -ao " N1e na1ser III pro
Gaming tne end OF the western re-
was Aohfo ~eu niinias7oiaAsiy W
MesAnes
Inc threatened cnange IN the Ber-
I'm government Is pointed to here IS
most significant 1t Is ridiculous to
tadk OF the government falling be-
cause II Is all IN the hands OF the
KAISER, and ne never turns out civil
OFFICIALS except beca use they do not
4 suit him What carries meaning now
ts tnat popular ciamor seems for the
first time to be having an effect on
the government 1t looks as il the
Minister OF Marine, Won CapeIe may
have to pay Tor the submarine failure
with his head. and even Bethmann-
Hoiweg mas mad 70 resign at last
Discipline works sp1endidly while 1t
works. bat when confidence in trust
ed leadership fails the effect OF the
disii1nsdon, may be sudden and dis
astrous.
i All eyes mere turn expectantly to-
working. Whether now or somewhat
ialef, Gex niaHy may crack from the