Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-04-16
Trying to Shatter British Be-
fore Americans Arrive,
Balfour Says
CONFIDENT OF VICTORY
Pressing Need Now, Declares Sec
retary, Is for Washington to
Speed Troops


the British army before the american
weight can be brought into tho scale.
The German inspired press has been
instructed by its masters to show the
utmost contempt FOR the American
military effort. But the masters do
not share that contempt They are
planning their whole campaign, and
arc sacrificing men with reckless cN'
travagancc in order that the American
help may arrive after their blow has
been struck"
In proposing toast to the Allied
cause at the luncheon to the American
labor delegation. Mr.. Balfour said:
The two speeches which we have
just listened to would have convinced
any doubtcr. il such exists elsewhere.
that the spirit in which the United
States Of America have thrown them
selves into the great struggle is n
spirit Of idcalism, not i'm the sense in
which dcalsm cvaporatcs in eloquent
phrases and empty formulaC, hut In
that spirit in which idCalism TCCuE-
nizcs that to bring his ideals TO Crui.
tion one must make efforts and show
these great sacrifices which now arc
being 50 surely demonstrated by our
friends and brothers across the At
lantic,'
Germany Changes Front
That mission. he proceeded. repre-.
senting as it did the activities Of the
/ United States in 80 many different
{ spheres and characteristics. had ar
rived at moment Of interest. IL
was a moment of special interest, not
chiefly because Of the great and any
! ious struggle now going on, but be-
cause the Allies had revealed to them
I i'm plain, unmistakablc characteristics
both the political and military policies
Of those who controlled the dCStiniCS
of Germany.
1--WE have been the witnesses during
the last year or year and half nc
said. "Or strange regeneration ON the
part or those who wished 80 deludC
either the German neutral or. il might
/ hc. even the Allied public with regard
. to German intentions and methods.
There was a moment before the
/ facilc success which Germany obtained
against an unrcsistinE enemy, the
4 enemy i'm the east. when German
statesmen and German members Of
Parliament discussed public affairs
. which would lead ono TO suppose that
Germany was in "A high way to dem
oCratic institutions aud to heartfelt
adoption Of tho four principles which
President Wilson has made famous
throughout the world. Events i'm the
cast gave them a facilC success over
the takers In Russia, and tho whole
aSpCCt Of politics and public opinion
among the Central Powers has en-
tirCly changed.
They now almost CyuiCally admit
/ the resolution Of tho ReiChstaC. of
which we have heard 50 much, all the
. talk Of no anuCNHtiUnS and indcmni-
| ties. of considering the wishes Of sub
/ joct populations: of spreading the
principles Of security and freedom
/ throughout tho world. was what we
, sometimes can CamoutllgC.'
All that now was thrust aside. Ger
man methods arc actually being car
/ ricd out before tho eyes of all I'm the
case Of Rumauia and in other COM
] muuities bordering on the eastern
/ frontiers Of Germany.
I'm moments Of adversely. continued
the Secretary, Germany used "a fine
language, which she had been taught,
indeed. by the statesmen Of the Allied
Powers and principally by President
Wilson. but which she had learned but
/ impcrfCCtly and understood not at all.
| That was one Of the phases Of con-
temporary events which made the
present moment extremely interesting.
Tho other was the plain, clear rcvela-
ton of the German military program.
Barred as Il RObber State
"Shc now stands forth uudisCuiscd
as a robhcr state" declared Mr.. l5al.
-four. "How is she going TO carry out
her robbery 80 far as her internal
politics are concerned" Her methods
are simple. If things are going wrong,
or are not going as well as her op.
timiSts expected, then they tell tho
I German public: You must fight on
/ because tho Powers against whom
/ you are fighting desire nothing less,
and will be content with nothing loss
! than the total destruction of your
/ country
AN absolute falschood. The dc
/ StruCtiun of Germany has never been
an Allied aim, and is desired, 50 far a.
know, by no sane man I'm the whole
civilized world.
"But il things arc going well. that
argument is put aside and a new one
{ comes i'm. They explain that all these
attacks upon the constitution Of Ger
many, all this talk about Germany not
. being a land of freedom, with the rep
rcscntatiyc institutions of democracy
as We In the west understand them.
are quite true. But then they say:
/ "'A democratic government would
( never have given YOU an empire such
as the military authorities and the
headquarters staff have given YOU.
We are the headquarters staff We
are the military authority. We are
the true uphUldcrs of the Prussian
ideals.
Look at what We are giving YOU.
We are going to give YOU domination
over the whole Of Europe. You have
practically control over the indcpcnd-
cnt States all along our eastern Dor.
der We are going To give you. a
free pathway to the illimitablc riches
of the East.
"'Wc are going TO turn France into
a ScCOud-ratC Power. Britain Is to
follow. America is to follow Britain
and Germany is to be the Colossus
which bcstrides the world, without q
rival and hardly without a critic
IAN that they say 10 their inter-
national socialists. 'all that is given
you 10y the blessings Of the German
constitution, by the tradition of the
military party, by the steady insist
enCe and determination of the govern.
ing powers i'm Prussia
And i'm the Prussianized Germany
there is steady determination TO prove
TO the world that force Is the way.
and the only way, TO achieve success.
They preach that doctrine and prac.
tice to show i'm the case of GERMANY
il Is successful"
For some reasons. which he was
unable to explain. apparently in the
ordinary German, who might call him
self a Socialist, international Socialist
or whatever he pleased, there was deep
down In his nature a predatory Instinct,
so that when success appeared to crown
his efforts he was like a wild beast
falling upon his helpless prey