Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1918-10-22
hun ARMY MUST
Be CRUSHED SAYS
MoRGEN1HAu

AS L l1O44 x4oAOV4 QAANA
Christening the Only
Cure of Prussianism
Henry Morgenthau, ex.Ambassador
to Turkey. at a meeting Of labor and
radical forces held last night at
Cooper Union, on behalf of the Lib
erty Loan, expressed his belief that
the mental attitude of the German
people could be changed for the bet
ter. but that it would take nervous
shock m the form OF a crushing mill
tary defeat to do it. The audience,
consisting for the most part of So
cialists who had left the party when
it adopted an anti-war platform, rose
to great heights of enthusiasm. Win
field Il. Gaylord Of Wisconsin. Frank
Bohn of the Friends of German
Democracy, William English Walling,
William Edlin, Henry L. Slobodin, J.
C. Phelps Stokes and Scion Fieldman,
Cantor Meyer Kanews.y sang two
songs by Rubenstein. Mr.. Morgen-
thau said:
THE wisest feature of President
Wilson's answer to Germany was
probably the fact that he practically
went over the heads of the German
Government and spoke directly to the
German people themselves. On the
surface this document was addressed
to the present responsible executives
and the German Government: in
&c
plain spoken citizen of the German
Empire. 1t was not meant primarily
to be read in castles and courts and
cabinet rooms; it was written to be
read in all city homes, in farmers
cottages, in the workshop, in the
/ field, and in the trenches.
1T told the plain German people
precisely how they could attain the
one thing which they desire above all
else. 1t informed them that they
and not their Kaisers, their Kings,
their Archdukes, their Field Mar
shals, and their Admirals, held
this issue Of peace or war in the
hollow of their hands. 1t is from
them that the President wishes to
hear. not from the leaders who have
plunged them into the most terrible
pcedicament into which any nation
has ever fallen.
1T is within the choice Of the Ger
man nation, says Mr.. Wilson, to OBJ
literate that Kaiserism which has
brought all these horrors upon man.
kind. Unless the German nation de-
stroys the monster that is hourly de-
stroying itself, there can be no hope
for its future. To that League of
Nations which is to be organized to
preserve the peace and liberties of
mankind the German people, but not
the German autocracy, will be adj
mitted. The one question that con-
fronts us now is whether the German
people, as distinguished from it's self
constituted leaders, will accept this
invitation. In a sense, therefore. the
psychology of this German nation is
the most important factor in the
world situation today.
Wilson Drew the Distinction.
"This attempt to differentiate be-
tween the German Government and
the German people is nothing new
President Wilson drew this distinc-
ton in the very addresses in which
he asked Congress to declare war
His insistence on this point has irri-
tated many observers, here and
abroad, who have insisted that no
such difference exists, that the Ger
man people are just as bad as their
Kaiser. that they approve the most
dastardly crimes Of the German
Army and the German navy, and are
Just as lustful Of military conquest
as their imperial masters. l believe
that those who refuse to see much
difference between the mentality of
| the German people and the German
Government are right. They have
worked as unit in this insane enter
prise Of conquering the world.
This fact, however. does not affect
the wisdom of the Presidents policy
IL does not mean that the people can
not be separated from their Kaiser
that they cannot be led to see a new
hight, that they cannot be forced even
TO overthrow their whole autocratic
system. abandon the damnable politi.
cal philosophy in which they have
oeen so seduously schooled. cleanse
themselves of the foul crimes which
they have applauded for four years
and reform themselves into a decent
self-respecting. liberty loving democ-
racy. Indeed they have got to do
this or they perish.
i will probably be told that this
invokes a transformation in human
nature, and that human nature does
not change itself. The psychology OF
| a whole nation can be changed and
changed fundamentally. I believe
TINS first OF all, because l am a be-
never in democracy. As a believer
IN democracy do not think that
democratic institutions and the demo-
cratic attitude towards life are the
special privileges Of any one race or
people. They are destined to be the
inheritance Of all mankind eyery-
where. The principles of the Declar-
ation OF Independence and of the
french Revolution are just as appli-
cable to the German people as to the
great nations that gave them utter.
ance.
I'VE are taught that the Anglo
saxon peoples have a particular gift
ior democratic institutions: let us not
lose sight of the fact that the Anglo
Saxon people came originally from
Germany. Indeed a great English
histofian-I think Freeman-has said