Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1917-11-27
Speaking of BlunderS.

Nothing is further from the fact than the idea
the part of the Allies. On the contrary, the most
colossal. the most stupid, the only irretrievable
mistakes have been those OF the vauntedly efficient
Teutons That the Entente nations have fallen
into grievous errors none admit more readily than
their own leaders; witness Premier Lloyd Georges
unsparingly critical speech at Paris. The Brit
ish invariably have been quicker to chide their
own failures than to celebrate their achievements;
the French have tempered their highest mo-
ments of enthusiasm with a cool assessment OF the
great tasks still to be performed and the perils
and sacrifices still to be faced. Lack Of military
coordination has cost the Allies dearly, though
there is practical assurance OF this dehciencys
being overcome. Failure to strike all together
and to recognize in practice we'll as theory IN
Independence of all fronts has caused fearful
vastage at times. But these and other inenici-
encies Of the Allies have been of the sort that time
could remedy Those of the Teutons. on the other
hand. have grown pronounced and more
costly with the passing OF the months and years.
German blunders have been the plumbers of
national mind which recks nothing of human ma
ture and cares nothing for moral law. The Kaiser
and his General Staf considered the invasion or
Belgium reasonable, indeed a brilliant stroke
In reality. it was foolish it was brutal. for
it betrayed the perhdious character of the Ger
man regime and proved the decisive event that
brought England into the war. single remark
OF the German Chancellor in the early days Of
the struggle was an incomparably greater blunder
than GaIIipoIi and Serbia and Rumania all COM
bined When the imperial chancellor. vocing the
thought of his Emperor and largely. too, OF the
German public referred to the treaty guarantee
ing Belgium's neutrality as "a scrap OF paper. he
unwittingly revealed to the world the real nature
of German militarism and of the constituencies
system OF which ii is the center. For all its un-
scrupulous cunning, German diplomacy has been
q garing succession of plumbers from the earliest
days Of the war. What be said for the politi-
cal discretion or foresight OF a Government that
has gone on losing friend after friend and MAX
ing enemy after enemy until it has arrayed
against il four-fths of all mankind? OF what avail
would be ten times the conquests the Kaser's
legions have made, when his monarchy stands
out before the whole world a moral bankrupt?
What more terrible blunder could a nation COM
NIT than to make itself an outcast to all peoples
who honor justice and truth:
Germany's military failures have been hardly
less egregious than its diplomatic mistakes.
Though prohting greatly by the unreadiness of
the Allies and BY its own forty years of prepare
tion Germany has failed to attain any of the major
detectives in its carefully laid plans. The
Teutons' chosen role. be it remembered was that
Of the invader. At first, they were to crush France
stagger Russia and force victorious peace before
England could become effective Failing in this
and realizing the fatal grip OF the enemy's
power, they launched their campaign of submarine
ruthlessness in hopes OF winning decision. And
here again they have been baked They have won
spectacular in special adventures but they
have nothing that in any wise resembles
decisive victory. II would be the height of folly
to underestimate Germany's military prowess or
to overlook weaknesses in the organization of the
Allies. But let put out the thought, if ever
we entertained II, that fighting against
nation OF super men. Germany, though great in
brutshness, is blind beggar in those qualities OF
mind and heart that give nations true power.
This war between Brutishness and Humanity calls
for heroic sacrifice and courage and faith, but who
that believes in Humanity doubt what the end
will be?