The Washington times., 1918-01-23
CENTRAL POWERS
FACING SERIOUS
FRACTIONAL STRIFE
By DAVID LAWRENCE.
Copyright. 1913. by New York Evening Post
Company

BY DAVID LAWRENCE.
Copyright 1913. by New York Evening Post
| Company
| Politics may be disconcerting be-
cause Of its mischievous influence on
the morale OF our war boards and
bureaus, but IL Washington Is passing
through an era OF partisan criticism
and personal controversy, 1t is hard
ly q circumstance to what is happen
Ing abroad.
Premier Lloyd George is being ac-
cused OF inspiring Lord Northcliffe's
( internal offensive" against Robert
son and Haig. OF the British high
command, and Sir Edward Carson,s
resignation from the British cabinet
foreshadows a renewal Of discussion
of the Irish question.
France has her troubles with
Cailloux and the intriguers, and the
average man might get the impress
sion that the allied cause Is the only
side of the fight that is torn with
internal discussion
But such information as our own
officials have concerning conditions in
Germany and Austria leads to the
consoling conclusion that the internal
political difficulties OF the entente
are mere Incidents In comparison with
the factional struggles in the central
powers.
At Bottom OF Trouble.
Russia L. at the bottom OF the dis
turbanee. What seemed at hrst an
easy detachment Of Russia from the
entente and the quiet annexation Of
territory 1T the expense of the infant
democracy Is becoming a boomerang.
Political currents and cross currents
in Germany. for instance, are much
more confused than they have been
since the war began Sentiment
against the avowed plans OF the an
nexationists is growing not only be-
cause OF inherent opposition to the
militarist party, but because 1t isl
beginning to be understood that an
nexation Of Russian territory will
block the way to a general peace
and prolong the war.
Just how powerful Is this infiu-
ence no one here can judge, but the
Brest-Litovsk parleys which It was
tn, entente's disposition at first to
ignore, are proving the keystone of
the political situation in both Ger
many and Austria II is a kind Of
test. unexpected and unIoC ked for, Of
Germany's own war aims, and by
showing their hand the militarists
have in sense clumsily contradIcted
the slogans of a defensive war on |
which they have been. ralIying the |
masses to great sacrifices
More So In Austria.
But IL disapproval OF the German
governments handling of the Rus :
sian negotiations is pronounced in
Germany, It Is even more So in Aus
tria. where the demand for peace Is
becoming more intense.
Strikes are of q serious nature. An
Austrian cabinet has fallen within the
last week. Food control is marked
by incompetence and maladministra-
ton. Hungary Is so concerned over
her food supply that she Is not per-
hitting the export of supplies to Aus
tria.
German domination OF Austria has
been efficient since the war began, but
no sovereign nation likes to be ruled
by foreigners. and so long as Germany
has been able to manage we'll the
has been little complaint, but German
of Austria Is breaking
down and 1t Is to Austria-Hungary
therefore that members of the entente
are looking for a sudden throwing on
Of the German yoke and Joining
with the Russians in obtaining a gen
eral peace or at least the adoption in
the negotiations between Austria and
of the original program out
lined by the Bolsheviki.
SquareIy for Democracy. !
From Switzerland and contiguous
leutrals, America is making every ,
Effort in a legitimate way to make {
t plain to the Austrians and to Lib
.raI elements in Germany that the I
7. s. stands squarely behind the
principles of the Russian democracy.
President Wilson's recent message I'M
has had the effect of
some OF the leaders in
Germany that the question of peace
ests really with the German people,
n their assertion OF their soYer- Q
iignty, in their renunciation OF i'm @
'erialistic aims and their practical q
pplication OF liberal principles in the
russian parleys.
. At the same time Arthur Hender-
on, the British labor leader, and the /,
Birth Labor Party are helping i'm
to prove that the tory and
dictionary and imperIalist are no
Onger in control OF British diplo- |
macy. and that America, England, and e
Russia seek practically the same |
asls OF world organization. On the d
Whole. the plan offensive OF the allies
5 progressing favorably.