Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1918-11-08
The End of a Criminal Alliance.

HE breaking up of the Quadruple Alliance
gives wonderful freshness to the old saw,
- when thieves fall out Just men have their
due" The only bond between Germany and her
accompIiees was a common greed. There were no
principles amongst them. no fraternity of cOnvic-
tons and ideals no faith which they could trust
one another and fight in glorious union to the end.
They were simply four brigands in league for plum
der. Turkey counted upon taking Egypt, Persia
and portions of Russia; Bulgaria upon ruling the
Balkans; Austria-Hungary upon gathering more
millions OF Iand-stripped Savs. Rumanians and
Italians into Hapsburg subsection; and Germany
counted upon dominating all these after Selling
lions share of the loot. The scheme was entirely
one of brutal ACKNOWLEDGMENT, unprovoked and
utterly conscienceless plot to trample down the
rights and take away the property of the innocent.
Is it to be wondered that so criminal a coalition
broke and fell crashing apart under the test OF
supreme danger?
The dissolution set in when the apparent success
OF the scheme was highest. Russia and Rumania
had been betrayed; their rights and riches lay at
the soulless conQuerors feet; the division of spois
"a mere prelude 20 greater gorging, the accom-
pIices thought) began. And the gods laughed, for
they knew that the sundering OF the robber league
had commenced. Germany and Austria, character
istIcally enough, let their greed outrun their
prudence far as to arouse keen resentment in
Bulgaria and Turkey. AT the same time, the latter
pair, from the outset mutually suspicious and
hating, grew more and more antagonistic TO each
other as well more distTustful OF Vienna and
Berlin. Month after month these sullen moods
smouldered and burned while Allied pressure in the
West grew continually more formidable When II
appeared at length that the utmost for which Ger
many could hope a negotiated peace and that
certainly there would be territorial spoils for
her to parcel out the sole incentive that brought
Bulgaria and Turkey into the war was snapped.
There was no principle for them to be loyal to,
right for them to defend. AS the more
frankly mercenary of the two, Bulgaria was
Her tn pet Of
OF terms; and finally with invasion laundering
upon her borders, she welcomed unconditional sur
render itself. This made the collapse of Turkey
fOTegOne, and left that of Austria-Hungary ques-
ton merely Of time and manner.
It is safe to assume that these dissolved part
ners in brigandage now detest one another more
thoroughly than they ever hated their intended
victims. The three lesser conspirators. detest Ger
many for having induced them to follow leader
ship which promised marvels at the outset, but
which proved at last to be empty of all things but
shame; Germany detests them for having deserted
the standard to which they iOc1ed so eagerly when
the future looked fat with booty; and they all de-
test another. seyeraily and collectively because
they know that honor never anon gst them and
that at heart they meant i'll to themselves to
the world. The Entente Allies stood in unshakable
union through long years OF darkest peril, and I'M
;oGbtedly they would have fought in solid phalanX
the end, even though it had been to defeat.
Serbia and Belgium were crushed, but they never
wavered in fidelity to the common cause Italy was'
threatened with rretreyable disaster but she stood
magnihcentIy resOlute and loyal The bond of
sympathy and purpose between France and Eng
land grew stronger danger deepened about them.
The covenant Of faith between America and all
those gallant nations burned the brighter the
shadow Of Germany's supreme offensive rolled to its
blacklist forebOding. Those who fought for free
dom went steadfastIy together to the goal those
who fought for gain fell coweTngly apart at the first
great test Recalling GeTmany's One-time boast,
The more enemies, the more honor" the New York
Tribune spty quotes descriptive of the real Hun
spirit these lines written in the hey-day of Prussan
ism by that most cear-sighted of living Germans
DR.. Wilhelm Muhlon
They like barbaTisns, who become in
tOxicated with victory, even If 1t has been
achieved at the expense OF defenseless oppo-
nents. With wild hurrahs they are already
distributing in their tents the treasures and the
men taken as booty But if strong, courageous
enemy of whose approach in their hour of
victory they had warning should surprise
them they would again take hasty fight to
their swamps and forests and would be
tent with these as they formerly eager to
roam all over the earth. mere Migrants without
any understanding of distances world rela-
tionships."
In his hour of ultimate trial the Huns braggart
forttude foTsakes him like his allies because, like
their fealty, it rested gross mateTialism
alone. But from the wreck of these brutal and