The Taney County republican. (Forsyth, Mo.) 1895-1992, 1918-05-09

free nation these men stood for free'
dom. America got many OF them
when Prussan baSonets desroyedthei
hope. They became staunch AmeIi'
cans giving to the land Of their adop'
tion a devotion second to none. l
have known some oi the old men who
came here after the revolution OF l848
who did not permit their children to
learn the German tongue though the
parents could speak Only a very brok
en- English,
Prussia considered herself well-rid Of
these men. Wnh her usual ability she
directed the course Of her education
TO inculcate the notion that the Prus'
sian dynasty was commissioned by God
to rule not only Germany but the
world Certain comforts were looked
after, for example, beer gardens be
came plentiful. II Hans could be kept
we'll and from thinking, the course Of
the autocracy would be made easy.
Shakespeare puts into the mouth OF
Oscar the idea Of the kaiser and his
predecessors:
"Letme have men around me that are
fat,
Sleekheaded men and such as sleep
O nights;
Yond Ca8sius hath lean and hungry
look;
He thinks too much; such men are
dangerous.
After Bismark had humiliated France
he began the work Of organizing the
newly made empire into coherent
force that would know no will but that
Of its master, that would respond to no
volition Of its own but would find the
springs Of its action in a kultur that
had been provided by the ruling house.
To accomplish this purpose he turned
the system Of education into a subtle
form Of propaganda. The tender years
Of childhood did not escape the bane
full influence Of the autocracy, While
the Hoherzollerns were seeking TO
keep the people satisfied by providing
the material needs they sought to de-
stroy any capacity for independent
thinking. AS the generations passed
this work bore fruit. Germany devel
oped the habit Of letting her leaders
do all the thinking and planning and
the people do the work given them to
do and accepting such reward as the
rulers considered proper.
We hear talk Of revolts in the kais
er's kingdom but it would be well to
discredit these reports. For a long
time the people have been trained to
follow blindly leadership for which
they were in DO wise responsible
Prussia has made war profitable in the
past and she promises the natipn that
such will now be the final outcome il
the people but remain steadlast. We
had as well face the facts; the people
have supported the kaiser with faith
tulness that turns back at no sacrifice
however great. There is nothing 10
indicate that they will not continue TO
support him TO the end. The end
will come only when the full power oil
the allies has broken the armies on
which the autocracy OF Prussia relies,
Fine words will accomplish nothing.
Il is the firm belief Of the German
leaders that the kullur they have in
s,iIled into the nation will make it SO
sup .ror that it will meet the issue with
a will to conquer that shall be irresist'
ible. They have not believed we
would ever be ready in time TO be 9
serious factor in the contest. Nor car
we wonder at this disbelief in oul
sincerity. Ia the Outlook for May
first there is an editorial that all Ameri
cans should read and ponder thought
fully. 1t is entitled "a Laggard a
the Fray" l will venture to quote
bri fg.
Our government has acted as
there had been chance that peace
might be secured By negotiation be
fore we ever got into the fight. w
thought that words, that persuasion
that argument, would weigh with
people who celebrated the 1usitaui