The sun., 1917-09-30

giving them to his fatherlandf Slowly
the society has grown through the
progress Of the war. for there arc q
thousand obstacles these friends Of
German freedom have to meet. For
ono thing. knowing the temperament
OF tfeir people. most German Ameri-
cans are slow to believe that tho Ger
man nation 10 anywhere near ready to
attempt to rule itself. The German Is
not like the Russian. say these men.
"The German 10 politically unripe,'
heard one solid Teuton citizen quote
from Bismarck when Mr.. Butz tried
to argue him into the movement to
help along self-government in the land
now ruled by the Kaiser. And tho
Friends of Freer Germany agreed
with knit brows to the general propo-
sition-but the dream Of sending some
sunshine or electricity to hasten the
process Of ripening 10 one they will
not reiinquish.
"The Friends Of Freer Germany"
by the way. 10 the name finally
adopted by tho national association of
societies that grew out Of the con-
ference at the Park Avenue Hotel.
Mr.. Koettgen and some of tho other
New Workers wanted to keep Friends
Of tho German Republic" but a ma
1ority headed by Mr.. Butz argued that
German Americans had no right even
to seem to indicate to the liberal
leaders Of Germans what form of
government they should strive for.
"That ID a problem for them to work
out" said Mr.. Butx. "And whether II
Is a republic or whether II is q con-
stitutional monarchy on a non-mili-
taristic footing. whatever It is they
finally work out. our part Is to give
them unquestioning aid. money aid
sympathy, assistance in awakening
public opinion In Germany"
1t Is going to take time to wake
public opinion in Germany. Mr.. Butt
admits, but the war is doing 1t.
"The German people have always
enjoyed a reputation for humaneness,
he told me. "and they have resentet
nothing so much as the charge tha
they are Huns and barbarians.
"You see. as long as they are mad
by their rulers to believe that the!
are fighting for national existence
that their homes, their institutions
will be crushed II the Allies win. Jus
20 long will they fight on. They hav
trusted their rulers because tn,
Hohenzollerns have given them
pretty good internal government.
1T has been a government unde
which they have won material sue
cess; they have been comfortable; an
their commercial growth under auto
cratic rule has absorbed their ener
giles; their eyes were blinded tn
revolutionary free spirit of 1884
seemed in danger Of being smothere
under layers of fat Only few daunt
less souls in the lseichstag and else
wnere kept It alive. But then cam
the war.
"And the mistakes made by the mil,
taristic rulers Of Germany. mistake
which resulted in placing that countr
at war with four-fifths of the worlt
are beginning to be apparent to tn
people OF Germany. They are rub
bing their eyes and asking. Why IL It
England, France, Italy. and now IN
United States and Argentina-why
against us? Can 1t be that We al
wrong?'
Eyes. the war is beginning to injet
tho leaven of suspicion that the Ka
ser's Government Is not infallible. a
least not as infallible az previous ma
terial successes have led the German
to believe. And this suspicion
breaking ground for the now Govern
ment."
Just how to make their help sffec