South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1918-10-03
AUTOCRACy IN
HUN EMP TRES IS
BADLY SHAKEN
German and Austrian DeSpotS
Becoming Convinced They
Must Give People Say in
Affairs of Government.

/ NAShlNGION, ). Signs
are multiplying in reports reaching
J the state department from various
agencies in neutral European coun-
tries of the rapid weakening OF the
despotic control which the military
/ elements in Germany and Austria
have imposed upon the civilian pop
ulation So extensive and COnse-
quential are the events quickly
! following one another in Berlin and
! Vienna. that American officials are
/ becoming convinced that the inn
perial rulers have been forced. how
ever reluctantly, TO the conviction
that if they are TO preserve their
| dynasties from destruction they
must yield to the growing demands
OF the civilian elements for the
right OF participation in the gov
eminent during this crisis.
Face Retributivc Justice.
The military parties have retained
their control only because of their
asserted ability TO secure a military
\ decision that would confirm German
supremacy over continental Europe
and the British Isles as we'll Now
that the German armies are being
defeated and driven back into Ger
many and the nation is confronted
with the painful certainty of an in
! vasion and retributive justice for the
wrongs inflicted upon the French
and Belgians, the influence Of the
pan-Germans and military parties
is waning and it is believed that the
] m
they IRE to retain the support of the
/ people. they must turn to the civil
ian parties that have been demand
ing a voice in affairs.
/ It was pointed out Wednesday
! that Pres't Wilson has repeatedly
declared that with the military rul
ers Of the central powers convicted
Of broken faith and deceit there
can be no decision of the peace for
which the GeTmanic people appar
emily are clamoring. Hence the be
I lated attempts Of the emperOrs 10
erect a structure Of real democratic
/ government through the creation Of
ca binets responsible TO the parlia-
ments in the hope that with these
the entente statesmen will be will
ling 10 confer about peace.
See Purpose in Utteranccs.
Indications Of such a purpose are
discerned by American officials in
various utterances and acts of the
German and Austrian leaders. In
his acceptance Of the resignation Of
Premier Won Hertling, Emperor Will
liam appealed to the strong men Of
Germany to come TO his aid and
share the burdens Of government, a
direct bid for the support Of the So
cialists and centrists in return for a
participation in the cabinet.
Then there are the statements in
leading German newspapers. signif-
cant because they have passed the
scrutiny of the German censors
that the creation of a responsible
cabinet is under considera ton Next
is the refusal of the socialists to en-
ter the government as at present
constituted indicative Of a determi-
nation 10 hold out for the right of
the Majority party in the reichstag
to name the mem hers of the cabi-
net even though that involves the
change Of the German constitu-
ton
Kaiser Selects Leaders.
AS a halfway measure and i'm
desperate effort TO save the imperial
/ prerogat tive. Emperor William al
ready has tried the expedient Of
himself selecting leaders of the OPP
position parties for minor places in
the cabinet and promising 10 for
ward the enactment of popular
measures But the socialists have
! generally declined 10 accept any
thing short of absolute control
through the reichstag of the cabi-
net without reference to the wishes
Of the emperor and officials believe
that at length they are about to
/ realize their aspirations.
Such a change in Germany doubt
( less would be followed. if not indeed
| preceded. by similar revolution in
Austrian parliamentary government,
and il is fully expected that as soon
as real representative government is
a fact in the central empires there
will be an irresistible movement to-
wards peace, even on the terms laid
down by PreS't Wilson.