Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1917-09-03
PRESIDENTS NOTE
Continued from Psee One)

, ing guarantees that the will of the gov
eminent be backed by the will of the
people.
Fighting for Own Existence
"A certain section of the German
press" continues the Socialist organ,
will hasten to declare that it is I'M
worthy Of the German people to give
such guarantees. We believe the con-
trary. 1t would be unworthy of itself
to refuse them. The German people
is not fighting this hardest of all
struggles for the rights of individuals
or families nor for any particular
form of government. but for its own
existence. The Social Democracy adj
Vocates national defense in this
sense, but in no other. In the strug-
gle for change in constitutional con-
dltons. the Social democracy declines
to use means which might weaken the
defensive power Of the country, but
ii is not abandoning this struggle.
The thought would be unbcarable that
those at the front We're fighting not
Tor the maintenance of the empire
but for the maintenance of condi.
tons which were not worth being
maintained. The thought would he
unhearable that one mothers son fell
not for the peoples rights. hut for
the privileges of individuals, in the
nation, which do not now exist else
where
! This thought must arise and the con-
dltion in which it f1ourishes must be
abolished Take the world map and re-
gard one country after another. The real
occasion on policies everywhere rests in
the hands of persons chosen by the peo-
pie There are monarchies and republics
In the latter the policies are determined
by elected Presidents and elected repre-
sentative assemblies. In the monarchies
the policies are determined by representa-
1--WE assemblies and governments owing
their existence to the expressed conf
oence OF these assemblies. If it is thus
everywhere, why is il not possible for us?
We have been waging war for more than
three wears and now A great power tells
US it must be like this for us if we wish
to attain peace. Perhaps this Is only a
pretext. but IN this case it Is SO cleverlv
chosen that II cannot be met by phrases
but only by deeds
For the social democracy il ia a s;rnn,e
matter, Of course, that the governments
In concluding peace incorporate into their
acts the will of their peoples and be sup
ported by their peoples confidence
Hipe for Democratic Government
Verwaerts declares that the German
people are more than ripe for democratic
government. The peace settlement. It
says, may be wrecked on the terms OF
the negotiations, but must not be wreck.
ed on the question of who shall neeo-
tiate. The German nation, 1t points out.
has an authorized representation in the
Re1chstag but it lacks a government re-
sponsible to that body. In conclusion II
expresses chagrin that this Reichstae.
which 1t characterizes as the most long
suffering of all parliaments," has so far
lacked the will to assume power. It
! must. however. muster up this will. de-
clares the newspaper. because its path to
power is the worlds path to peace.
! The Frankfurther Zeutung terms the
declaration in favor of equal participa ton
in the economic possibilities of the world
| for all peoples the only clear and unnis-
takeable passage in President Wilson
answer to the Pope's peace proposal. Aft
er following the fashion of using the Rus.
sian General Soukhomlinoff' declarations
to ref1te President Wilson's assumption
that Germany was the aggressor, the pa
| per asks where Is to be found the prin-
! clple of the peoples right Of self deter
mination in his attitude toward Germany,
and continues
Enemy Of German Democracy
There is no worse enemy of German
democracy than Wilson himself and his
| Entente comrades. The entire German
people agrees that home political changes
at the command under pressure of
foreign states are impossibilties. More
/ over, If our enemies think domestic re-
forms in Germany would be Of any use
to them they have entirely deceived
themselves. At essential points the Ger
man people are one with its government.
The government has for 43 years pur-
sued peace policy and the domestic gov
eminent in Germany would pursue no
other.
This government has for year past
declared its readiness to make peace and
month since that the new chancellor
associated himself with program of
peace by agreement and reconciliation
among the peoples. Wilson, Lloyd George
or Poincare would be happy If they were
conscious of having such a large part of
| the peoples will behind them as the I'm
perial German government. In none of
the enemy lands does more democracy
really obtain today than in Germany.
| What the leaders Of the Entente have in
mind Is not a domestic. but debiIitate
Germany"
An Austrian View
| The Vienna Nieu Freipress comment
ing on President Wilson's note says:
Even an unprejudiced perusal must
lead to the conclusion that President Will
sons reply is the most partisan presenta-
ton ina ginahle. that II lacks ali Justice
is filled with malignity and prejudice
against Germany and shows that Presi-
dent Wilson has no inkling either Of Ger
nany's political institutions or the conf
/ - -