New-York tribune., 1917-07-16
Press Traces Chancellor's
Downfall to His Early-in-
the-War UtteranCe
Crisis Is Indicated
German Masters Remain the
Same and Michaelis Will
Inherit Burdens

Paris, July 15.-The Paris press halls
the retirement of DR.. Won Bethmann-
HCllweg from the German Chancellor
ship with varying degrees Of satlsiac-
ton. Some Of the comment is Jubiant'
while other editors treat the event
soberly. AL however, are agreed thae
It indicates a crisis in Germany OF un-
rrecedentod importance.
As might be expected, the phrase
"scrap of paper" frequently crops out
N the comment, and some of the Jour
nails trace the Chancellor's downiall
hack to his early-in-the-war utterahce'
The "Petit Parisien" is one Of the
newspapers that are not optimistic over
tie development, saying:
Though the Chancellor changes, the
German masters remain the same IL
is they. and not the retiring function
ary, who desired the war, TO satisl!
their appetite for universal DONNA
son. In what measure may they nave
changed their minds, and are theys
carable of speaking IN now for peace
al
that victory has escaped them and that
defeat is approaching; in such measure
as the intolerable sufferingS OF their
hungry peoples are growing. =.
"Bethmann- Hollweg is beng ais,
r,issed because of his declarations and
mistakes at the beginning OF the war.
but his successor will be no less bound
~ his acts and words than was TINS
docile functionary, who never dared to
take the initiative ollweg
would never have been dlsavowed had
the hopes of his masters been realized
bv victory. He who gets his portfolio
viii inherit his burden and the same
insurmountablc difficulties"
Beginning of Tragic Era
ale Journal" says: "The Chancellor
was so accustomed TO let things by that
he seems TO be surprised to find HIM
self at the bottom of the abyss. HIS
famous exclamation. a scrap of paper
which many thought to be only
cynical utterance, now echoes like a
cry of distress. II seems now as
though Bethmann-Hollweg had fore
seen the catastrophe -,
In the view OF "L'Homme Enchaine,'
the Chancellor's retirement marks the
beginning Of tragic era for Germany.
II pictures an immense black gulf
vawning beneat hthe feet of the great
militarized nation. and terms the
Chancellor a man Of straw.
The "Action Francaise" says the
Chancellor's departure indicates the
depth to which the Germans have de-
scended in their spirit of violence and
ambition.
"One can rightly say it continues,
"that there is crisis in Germany TO.
day. bu. the crisis is the opposite of
what was expected. IL is not the Left,
it is the Right; It is not revolution.
hut reaction, that has brought It
about"
"Libre Parole" says: "Thc scrap OF
rcper' has finished by straneling Beth
mann -Hollweg. That is perhaps the
sole thing that appears clearly through
the obscurity of the German crisis.
Liberated long ago by the war party,
TIE Chancellor made supreme effort
to hook up>with the peace party. The
latter has rejected him, not because it
doubted his malleability all his career
showed he possessed that because
it considered him compromising
Fatality in Scrap Of Paper"
The "Gaulois" concludes its rather
biographical aGIlClc with 1ne WOTuS.
"And there is the war machine, long
oiled and FURNISHED, no longer running
as il had been expected il would; and
there in the Reichstag itself arc tact
less men demanding that the promises
Of the government be not treated by
/ him Bethmann-H Hollweg) like scraps
Of paper There was terrible fateful-
( ness in these words, and finally the
! day approaches when his simple little
scrap of paper, tossed on the one side
, OF the scale. is beginning to weigh all
( by Itself more than the entire credit
/ of Germany
| Nearly all the newspapers comment
! on the singular coincidence that Dr.
Won Bethmann Hollweg's career as
/ Chancellor ended on an anniversary Of
the day it began-July Ia.
/ The Temps" says:
"Functionary replaces a functiorary.
/ A place cut out for leader remains
intrusted to the performer Of another's
will"
The Temps" thinks Dr. Michaelis
! superior 20 his predecessor on two
. points he has been successful and
| has character. His success has been
shown in his position as Food Com
missioner. his character is shown by
/ his speech last March in the Prussian
/ chamber. from which the Temps"
quotes the following: "No one shall
make me swerve. would not accept
nm Office which would be but an edge
/ less sword"