Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1917-10-19
PruSSianiSn1 Must Pay
The Pen atty of Crime.

Pointing out the historic fact that 1t was cheap
and profitable wars that Germany to Prussian-
ism, a correspondent of the New York Times truly
says that as experience of one kind has set her
face in one direction, only experience of contrary
kind lis likely to cause her to about face and
move N the opposite direction" Germany leaped
exultantly into the present war expecting to win
swift and spoils-laden victory she had in Tor
mer adventures which the Prussian war lords de-
berately planned and successfully carried through.
The war against Denmark" we are re-
minded. gave to Prussia the provinces of
Schleswig- Holstein and the valuable littoral on
the Baltic a basis for naval development
Prussia waited two years and then fell upon
Austria, wrestling from her, in war which
lasted but a few weeks, the hegemony of Ger
many. She then waited four years and at
tackled France losing in that an insignih-
cant number of men, while securing an encr-
nous money indemnity besides taking Alsace-
Lorraine"
In all of these brigandish exploits, Prussiam-led
Germany suffered little nothing, but won enor-
booty. Hence she came to regard raids
upon her neighbors' territory as thoroughly safe
and enrichng business. Hence, too, rose her be-
quilting dreams of world dominion. Prussiansm
having served her prohtably in the past, she
gave her very soul to its evil purposes and in the
present war followed it into unspeakable brutali-
ties.
Not until Germany realizes that Prussianism Is
profitable. -,astrously Improbable is there
likelihood of her coming to that frame of mind in
which she will respect the rights of nations and the
rights of man. Should the end inconclusively,
leaving the Kaiser and his criminal regime still
powerful and leaving Germany unrepentant for the
monstrous wrongs she has DONE what hope of
immunity from raids of Prussanism could the
world entertain? No more than State which al
lowed burglars and murderers to go unpublished
could have for the safety of its citizens property
and lives. Before there be reasonable hope of
lasting peace and security Prussiansm must be
discredited in the minds of the people who have
trusted and followed it, and discredited thor
oughly that they will not only to believe in
it but also will look upon it a of national
calamity and instead of the gory-gaining
booty-bringing power they heretofore have
sidered it, This cannot be until the allied democra
cies have a victory decisive enough to give
them the dictation of peace terms and guarantees
Certainly, it cannot be long the conspirators
who brought about this war sit mistaken at Berlin
and plot makeshift, treacherous peace of their
maneuvering.
For all the discomfort there may be beyond the
Rhine it is very doubtful that Germany yet real
ICES the moral and military failure of Prussianism.
the crimes of its rulers, its experience is nothing
compared to the tortures that Belgium and France
have borne and still bear at the hands of the Kaiser
While Prussianism has been footing and burning
French and Belgian homes, slaughterng children
and outragng women. German soil has remained
virtually uninvaded. While Prussianism has been
pirating the merchant fleets of all nations-neutral
and enemy alike-sinking hundreds of peaceful
ships and numbering hundreds of innocent people,
Germany's own merchant marine, the greater
part of it. together with her navy, has remained
harbored securely at home.
Now, the Allies, civilized nations as they are,
certainly have intention and desire to inhict
upon civilian Germany any such brutality as the
Kaiser and his militarists have wantonly inflicted
upon Allied countries. But by some means or
other, Germany must be brought to understand that
the game of her Hohenzollern war-makers is not
glorious and profitable but criminal and calamitous.
Otherwise Prussianism will continue its evil spell
and for the very that it is baked in this ad
venture will be the more eager to launch upon
new one Therefore 1t is that America and her CO.
defenders of freedom stand immovably against
peace with Prussianism. They are resolved that
Germany shall realize that this is such
that by which she robbed Denmark of Schleswig-
Holstein, such as that in which she tore
Alsace-Lorraine from France, such that
which her Junkers planned as long,. swift stride
toward world-domination, but the inglorous and
terribly retributive thing which every waged
for mere ambition gain ought to be to those who
bring it about.
This means, for one thing that the Kaiser shall
not be allowed to retain the territory which he
has seized nor that which his immediate predeces-
sors in the scheme of Prussianism wrongfully
seized; Belgium and France must be evacuated,
Alsace-Lorrane must be restored, and reparation
made, as far reparation for immeasurable wrongs
is possible. This will be of considerable effect in
convincing Germany that Prussianism does not pay.
Another telling step toward that important end will
be the readjustment of certain territorial lines in
which Austria we'll Germany is conerned-a
readjustment the basis OF the rights of peoples
instead of the ambitions of the Hapsburg and
Hohenzollern monarchs. Most important of all is
the necessity of overthrowing Kaiserism ITSELF and