Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1918-04-15

already It has given daring express
sions which escaped or defled the ma
chinery or suppressionf He declares
that the German military ring is in
panic of fear that the people may
break away.
Without doubt is it for that reason
that the Teuton injured have been
cared for in Belgium instead Of being
sent back to German hospitals-and
what will the German and Austrian
people say when they fully realize
the awful cost that has been paid in
their sons and brothers, for the use
less hills and mudholes Of Picardy?
Child says that the Kaiser is not
the real rock of autocracy." and that
"the military and capitalistic powers
have even ceased to use him as
mouthpiecc." He says that two
years ago there were not so many
secret revolutionary pamphlets and
leaflets circulated in all Russia as
there have been the last month in
Berlin and Hamburg::" and that the
franchise extension is delayed be
cause the military ring fears the
people" He finds the strikes Of last
January and early February Of great
significance, because they were not
like our strikes merely industrialffl'
300 900 workers laid down their tools
not as in an industrial but in po-
litical revolt" Those strikers de-
manded peace without anneXatlons
or indemnites on the basis of the
right of self determinations, the seiz-
ure of III food supplies in order to
effect usit distribution. the removal
of the state Of siege, and the mill
tarization Of the factories, and.
among other things, decentralization
nv the introduction of equal suffrage
Of Prussia.
The writer states that at the very
time the allies We're dreading the
release of Germans imprisoned in
Russia, the Prussians feared that
what seemed on the surface a gain
might turn out to be loss. Rather
than trust for service elsewhere a
German army that had been on the
eastern front and there exposed to
\ the revolutionary doctrines Of the
banded the men were sent home, and
then scattered as individuals among
other units of undoubted loyalty.
so much for fear of mass revolts in
units which had learned liberalism in
the cast" The policies of the Ger
man secret service machine disclose
also the fear of weakening Of morale.
Secret service agents were sent to
| Russia among the German prisoners
whose release was expected to esti-
mate the corruption these men
might sperad If returned to the fight
Ing fronts. Can one imagine the
British or French fearing the return
of released prisoners from Germany"
Moreover "discontent has taken a
hold on the inactive army fronts"
Where there are fighting and death
the military machine is complete
master Of mems minds. But where
there is time to talk and think there
is danger Of corruption" So battle
drives" sometimes have been as
much dictated by social as by mill
tary strategy. Mr.. Child cites the
lone man in Washington who has &C
cess to the most complete collection
OF facts and testimony" bearing upon
these matters as saying: I'm Germany
the tide Of revolt. no matter what its
stage, is rising-not falling"
The Golfers article takes pains to
show the use the President is making
OF this information. Upon it he
bases his attitude towards the Ger
man people. He believes victory
from within Germany is to be con-
sidercd as we'll as victory from with
out. He Is making a drive not for
immediate peace, but for both kinds
OF victory. He does not think that
trying to win victory over the
military wing in Germany by enlist
Ing the German people themselves
will weaken our own national war
spirit" But warnings abound in this
striking article to the effect that
general discomfort. active liberalism
and the Wilson doctrine have not yet
reached the hearts of the masses of
the German army" that immediate
spread of revolt in the army is not a
prospect upon which we can rely"
that there is no general willingness