The Washington herald., 1918-07-11
The German Impasse.

Won Kuehlmann, hustled out of Office by the
Junkers, has precipitated quite a teapot tempest
in Berlin. The majority Socialists are a trife un-
ruly. They refused to assent to the new govern
ment war budget yesterday disarranging the cut
and-dried militarist program 1t is quite distressing
The Kaiser stand the Reichstag on its head
whenever he wants to, however, and the Socialists
OF the Schiedemann stripe will get too obstrep-
erous or stubborn-they never do. AT the proper
time there will be the proper meekness. In the
meantime the little puppet play serves its pur-
pose, and the of Germania have their
coveted privilege OF mutterng loudly and waving
their fists at the military junta-at a safe dis
tance. They Will be tame and doce enough in
few days.
But the German high command is worrying
about other vital things these critical hours
and with good reason. For than month
the hand of Hindenburg and Ludendorf in
the West has been motioness. The great new
German blow has almost been dubbed the blow
that comes. OF course, it is coming-no
doubts that; but why and wherefore the long
delay, counting heavily against the Hun, so
CLEARLY in favor of the allies?
We have heard many explanations among them
the Austrian debacle the Piave, the resurgent
fires in Russia, the calling up of new classes and
new reserves in Cermany-including young boys IS
years OF age. There is general belief that Luden-
dorff is making intensive preparations for the
greatest drive he has yet launched, sparing no
possible element of thoroughness make it sue
cessful. The rehtting OF broken divisions and the
rehearsing of new program of attack cannot be
done overnight But Ludendorff's delay undoubted-
ly has its roots in many other things below the
surface.
The military critic of the Westminster Gazette
believes that "Ludendorf is not attacking because
yet he does not see any prospect of doing so
with success When he thinks he has evolved a
tactical movement he will attack otherwise
he will not attack. The German high command
CANDLES what il deems a poor chance.
The leaders cannot possibly be under a deluson.
They understand perfectly the real nature of the
failure of its offensive and its consequences; hence
the peace overtures of Foreign Minister Won Kuehl-
mann. The real nature OF the failure also has been
emphasized by the similar experience in Italy,
1t is possible that Germany is far more keenly
aware than any of the allied powers that the crti-
cal seat of the war has shifted from the West to
the East once more-that it knows a real "break"
in the Russian situation is coming in brief time.
The entire German program is contingent upon
the maintenance of the condition OF unstable
equilibrium which she patched up through treachery
at Brest-Litovsk. Russia, unless all signs mis-
leading, is going belch forth thunderbolt into
the German camp at time when Berlin fondly
hoped the ashes of the charred but not consumed
spirit of her people had become cold. Information
at hand now indicates the flaming forth OF that
ancient stoical. somber, mystical fighting habit Of
hers which feeds on reverses, battles fire and
sword, and survives at the end it has in every
clash at with the nations OF the West, un-
changed, unshaken unbeatable
There could be mistaken policy the
part of the allies than to base their future plans
on a Russian renaissance or to depend on Mus
covia for anything Germany has been depending
on Russia to stay put" and shortly will rue her
delusion. Russia will gain strength out of the
very madness of her malady and return to the fold
but she will do it in way almost Incompetent
sible to Occidental eyes.
For German eyes there is ghost in the East
and a specter in the West-the specter of Ameri-
can armies to come. And a moral disease that
eats ravenously upon the suffering of her people
the war WEAKNESS which a summer chain Of
victories" cannot stamp out