Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-08-03

cradle victims of their tyranny like
Wisniewski to be invested with the
same electoral rights as themselves
they will not hesitate to overthrow
The present Prussian ministers and
Count Hertling the Imperial Chan
cellor, himself
People generally believe in Germany
that the Junkers have been secretly
encouraged by the Kaiser to frustrate
electoral reform in Prussia. The
Norwaerts aludes to this imperial
influence thus: "It Is commonly said
that the road to electoral reform is
barred By a higher power" Although
the monarch's word of honor is at
stake and he dare not openly break
1t, he fears the possible democratic
effects of the franchise bill on Prus-
sian institutions quite as much as the
Junkers and will be vastly relieved if
their obstinate opposition supplies him
with an excuse not to keep his hypo~
critical promises. Moreover, the
Kaiser is absolutely dominated today
by Ludendorff, who is a typical
Junker
"A strange tendency prevails in some
quarters TO believe that Kaiser
Junkers, the Pan-Germans and the
general staff, and that he Is personally
inclined to political moderation and
would conclude a democratic peace If
they did not hinder him. One also
often hears it said that the Kaiser was
opposed to declaring war and that the
the Crown Prince and the military
party are in reality alone responsible
for the world-conf1agration
All this is nothing but German
propaganda destined to eXonerate the
Kaiser in the event of Germany's Jos
ing the war and to influence the
Allies in his favor. In reality, ut all
crucial moments of the world conflict
the Kaiser, the Crown Prince, the
military party and the Junliers have
been absolutely united. 1t would be
extraordinary If it were otherwise.
The Hohenzolerns are themselves
merely overgrown Junkers, Prussian
landed proprietors whose genius for
depreciation, brutality and oppression
raised them in the course of centuries
above their fellows to royal and finally
to imperial rank. In all essential
characteristics Kaiser William is a
Junker, quite as much of a Junker as
his son and heir. From his earliest
youth his intimate friends have all
been Junkers and prominent officers
of the army belonging to Junker
families. The two men who have prob
ably had most influence over him dur
ing the present war, Prince Pless and
Prince Fuerstenberg, are both great
country magnates of the Junker caste
Not long ago. shortly before the
electoral reform bill was debated In
IF RanraSanta
tives, the "Bund der Landwirte," the
powerful economic and political union
of the Junlcers, held its annual meet.
| ing in the great hall of the Philhar
mony at Berlin. The climax of the
meeting was an address by the ia
nous old Junker leader, Herr vor
| Oldenburg.
BlasphemOus Madness
The following extract is a specimen
of his eloquence:
After the war Germany must have
new frontiers and greater possibili-
ties of expansion. For this she Will
need a mighty army and great navy.
| If we did not already have our army
and navy we should have to invent
them as the finest of all educational
institutions for the German people.
So long as our army is in the field,
fighting VIGOROUSLY all Is well; but
God alone knows what will happen
later. We shall need chancellor
of iron, a chancellor who is not
afraid to shoot!
The Reichstag majority is mis-
erable assembly of traitors who have
attacked the army in the rear with
their infamous peace resolution. This
to, ctr dOmlOA-
tion of the world. No matter how
great our losses and sacrifices are it
must be carried on till victory is
ours, and our victory must be
utilized to the utmost II it is not to
prove germ of death for the en-
pire.
We are keeping 100000 men in
Poland, not in order to make the
Poles happier but for the greater
glory and prosperity of the father
land. Hindenburg and Ludendorff
have been blamed for mixing up in
politics; but their tremendous re-
sponsibility gives them the right to
do so and to make sure from time
to time that II is still our Emperor
and King who decides political ques-
tions. If we do not obtain a war
indemnity the Reichstag will have
to vote ten billions yearly. The
German heart beats not in the
Wilhelmstrasse, nor in the Reichs-
tag, but at general headquarters.
Our Kingdom is no kingdom OF re-
nunciation, but of might and splen-
dor, for ever and ever, Amen''
Thanks, Says the Kaiser
There is method in this blasphemouI
n - q N