The Washington herald., 1918-02-02
By VICTOR MORGAN,
Editor of the Cleveland Press.

Liebknechts voice stilled by prison
walls. there is but one other with any
strength in it now raised in Germany
in the interest of democracy.
The owner of this voice cannot be
thrown into Jail
No one knows the owner Of this
voice.
But all know he is the author Of II
Accuse and THE Crime
There is published in the German
language in Berne, Switzerland, a
newspaper no larger than a pocket
handkerchief. IL is called Die Freie
Zeitung, meaning the free newspaper.
1t is devoted to the purpose of free
inE the German people from auto
cratic rule.
Its chief literary contributor, and,
doubt not, its chief material con-
tributor as well, is the author of "I
Accuse" He signs himself "a Ger
man." just as he signs his books. And
there is no doubt that he is a Ger
man, though a rare one, indeed.
"A German SCOTS at the Kaiser's
assumption of divine right. He con-
demns the doctrine of the superman.
He contends a victory for the Kaiser
German people than a victory for the
allies. He admires and approves the
policy of President Wilson.
The whole burden of his argument
to the German people is to take their
destiny in their own hands, to throw
on the yoke of the Kaiser, abolish
miIitarism, and by the developments
of the arts Of peace. regain a position
Of respect and good will among the
nations.
Rsps German AutOcracy.
copies of Die Freie Zeitung are
taken in hand by a small group of
exiled Germans who believe as does
the author Of 'I Accuse" This group
undertakes to get these copies across
the line into Germany where they
will do the most good.
Die Freie Zeitung has had many
vicissitudes- At one time the pro-
German element in the Swiss govern
ment swooped down upon the office
Of the newspaper, seized its books
and accounts, demanded to know who
the author Of "I Accuse" was, and
undertook to show that the paper
was being printed in violation of
Swiss law.
So emphatic a protest. however. was
made by Swiss sympathizers that the
authorities were compelled to back
down Even Swiss known to be .un-
friendly to the entente allies Joined in
the protest, maintaining that the
paper was published in the interest
of the whole German people and not
in the interest of any particular gov
ernment or set Of rulers.
The, publicity thus gained by Die
Freie Zeitung caused its circulation
to increase from 5000 to 10000 in a
few weeks.
The paper is printed twice, a week.
and wherever one runs upon a copy
he Is sure also to find discussion as
to the identity of the famous but
mysterious author of Il Accuse"
A price has been put upon his head
by the German government. At the
ONCE Of Die Freie Zeitung they tell
you they do not know who this con-
tributor Is nor where he lives. They
only know that he exists, and that
German democracy Is a passion with
him.
Switzerland has no national tongue.
About 20 per cent Of her people speak
German, and the balance French and
Italian. First of all, probably her
people are pro-Swiss. Doubtless they
would rise to repel an invasion from
any quarter. But as a rule, those
who speak German are in sympathy
with Germany, and those who speak
French are in sympathy with France.
Certainly that is true of the news
papers. Those newspapers most
pro-German are, of
in narrlnanN ManU
Swiss concerns, particularly newspa-
pers, banks. hotels and factories, are
owned IN Germany.