The Washington herald., 1917-04-16
STRIKES To HERALD
REVOLT OF GERMANS
Blind Rising by Masses Predicted
Against Teuton Autocracy.
BY JOHN l.. BALDERsTON,
Copyright, 1917, by the Mcclure Newspaper
SyndicateD

Copyright, 1917, by the Mcclure Newspaper
syndicate)
London, April 2-There are already
manifest and encouraging signs of the
widespread effect produced among the
masses OF the German people by the
news of the successful Russian revolu-
tion. The chances for and against a rev.
olution in Germany during the war are
being eagerly canvassed in diplomatic
circles. There is not much argument
about whether there will be a revolt in
Germany after the war IL the Junkers
keep the saddle to the end. for everyone
is agreed that revolution must come II
the Germans are beaten.
There are four factors at present no.
ticeabIe in Germany that work for the
upsetting of the established order. These
are the Russian revolution. the hostile at
titude OF the United States and China,
the unfavorable military situation as in
dicated by the loss OF Bagdad and the re-
treat on the western front and the ap-
palling economic privations. That the
ruling classes are badly scared is shown
by the promises Chancellor Bethmann-
Hollweg has made Of electoral reform,
and by the more critical attitude as
sumed with impunity by the Socialist and
Liberal press.
WIN Not Be Army Revolt.
Francis Gribble. an English historian
who spent the first year of war at
liberty in Berlin, where he moved in
high circles, and then was interned for
several months. declared even before the
Russian revolt that a German revolu-
tion was probable. In an interview to-
day. he said that the uprising when
it comes will not be an army revolt,
as in Russia, supported by much Of the
aristocraCy, but a blind, unorganized rs-
ing of the deluded and blinded people
against their rulers.
THE Instruments and machinery that
brought about the revolution in Russia"
he said, ARE not in Germany available
for revolutionary purposes. The support
ers of the Russian revolt included the
army; not only the rank and file, but
the high command. The soldiers, from
chief OF stan to private, were out TO
win the war. They wanted to avenge
the awful, almost incredible Cruelties
which the Germans inflicted upon Rus
sian prisoners. They had reason to be-
lieve that they were being let down by
Russians in high places SO they took
charge Of the revolution. and the pro-
German bureaucracy scattered like chaff
before them.
Nothing of that kind can be expected
to happen in Germany. The situation
is different; the distribution OF interests
Is different. There is no pro-Russian
or pro-entente bureaucracy for the pa
triots to overthrow. The revolutionary
party is not war party. but a peace
patty. The general stan are in effective
control Of the situation, and there are
no signs Of any dissensions among them.
No Danger from Military.
There Is. that is to say. no question
at present Of a military revolution. The
issue is Joined. insofar as it is Joined
at all, between the suffering masses and
4 solid body OF military, aristocTatic. and
industrial reactionaries.
I'm Russia the masses found soldiers to
lead them and aristocrats to join them.
In Germany they might be led by lawyers
or bankers; but 1 cannot picture Hoff-
mann and Haase and Dittmann. even il
Won Gwinner were solid with these So
cialists. placing the Kaiser. crown
prince, HIndenburg and Ludendorff under
ock and key in the Moabit prison.
Some Of them talk in the Reichstag as
II they would like to do II. but between
talk and action there is a gulf that only
A military leader can bridge, and there
IS no visible prospect that such a leader
will be forthcoming.
1T does not follow. however. that be-
cause there can be no revolution on the
iNuSsAdll AlltSs NllGItlOlt Alltlt can Dt no
evolution at all. Revolutions are not al
ways deliberately made by conspirators.
they simply come as spon-
taneOus upheavals, due to an instructive
determination to revolt. at any cost. |
lgainst intolerable conditions. The dis
.inction is like that between fire due TO
arson and fire due to spontaneous COM
bustion. 1t is a revolution of the latter
,ind which those in authority in Ger
ri.
he greater because. even when they
anticipate it. there are no infanible pre-
,autiOns which they can take against it. /
Will Begin With Strike.
THE indication that the breaking point
rad come would probably be a strike. !
widespread enough to be called universal, |
n munition factories. coal and iron
mines. and other essential Industries. 1t
may be argued that no such strike can
be organized because the police would
send the ring-leaders to the trenches
or place them under preventive arrest
That Is true, but those who argue that
Oecuase a strike cannot be organized !
therefore it cannot occur reckon with |
out the psychology of the crowd
An isolated strike is comparatively |
Easy for ruthless men to deal with;
are a specific remedy. But
L all the masses everywhere want the
same thing. want it at the same time, |
want it badly. and act together by in
stinCtive Collusion. that remedy would
cease to be applicable. The strikes might
spread like a cholera epidemic. the ma
might join the strikers in
stead of moving them down. And II that
happens, then anything might happen,
and the German revolution, though ac-
by other means, might be as
thorough and as speedy as the Russian
Reason for Concessions.
Of something Of the sort. More clear
sighted than most of the Junkers. he
sees that the future is pregnant with un-
and hopes to avert the un-
nlaasantness hu nrnrnisIrr- Iheral r,nIit-