Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-12-22
Why Germany Revolted.

tnTOuRH the stage OF feOGSdnlZdtlOn
with reactionary tendencies constant
ly in evidence, it is important to con-
slider why the people of the former
empire sought the overthrow of their
governmental system. 1t was not be-
cause they were opposed to kaiserism
as a political institution, or because
they we're particularly indignant at
the loss of the war. There was no
moral revulsion, no awakening of con.
science. The revolution, to state the
case plainly, was strictly economic in
character. The people were seeking a
betterment Of physical conditions.
Much has been heard in recent years
of the wonderful efficiency of the
Germans, of the kindness of their
government, of the many measures
adopted for the welfare and happiness
of the people. Little has been heard
of the true condition of the millions
constituting the body Of the nation. 1t
has not been known generally by the
citizens of this country. for instance,
that the average earnings of the adult
male in Germany, shortly before the
war, were 1910 a year in unskilled
and 1873 in skilled occupations; that
the average cost of living per family
was $531.70; that fully a third of the
economic labor of the empire was done
by women, nearly 100000 of them
working; that the average wage of
these women was about So cents day
an average ten to twelve hours daily !;
that in 1911 more than half a million
children worked in the mills, mines
and factories at pitifully low wages !;
that to make up the family budget it
was necessary for all members, adults
and children, to work at home on
"sweat- shop tasks; that there was
such u surplus of labor that, for ex-
ample. in Baden in 1913 there were
27s,9l0 applications for 163,1l2 jobs,
with an average of III applicants for
every 100 jobs, and in 1914 there were
273 male candidates for every 100
places.
The war did NOE improve these con-
ditions, but actually made them worse.
Wages were increased in some en-
pigments, but every necessity of life
advanced in price disproportionately.
More wome nand chiid-,', we're en-
ploycd and hours were heightened.
Strikes were frequent. Every factor
in the peoples daily life pressed on
them more harshly. Nor was there
any prospect of relief, even if victory
were won. The peoples moral vision
may have been dazzled by the prom
Uses of military glory, but they had no
reason to look for any betterment of
conditions which had obtained during
many years of peace and national
prosperity.
It requires no acuteness of magma
ton to perceive how the peasants and
workingmen of Germany felt when
they saw the glorious military ma
chine stalled and beaten. the empire
allies defeated and Surrendering and
the kaiser's high command suing fer
a truce. They knew that the war
game was lost and they felt that their
government had led them into a ter
rible plight, with the prospect of
heavier taxes than ever to pay indem-
mites. The government had never in
the days of peace assured them more
than a bare living, won by the hardest
of labor by young and old. 1t had
now brought on them this new bur
den, besides sending hundreds of
thousands of their men to death and
greater numbers to d;sablement for
life.
LIE. there be no illusions regarding
the motives of the German people in
seeking to reorganize their govern
ment. Their leaders may be idealists
but they themselves are very practi-
cal. They want better chance at life
They would accept kaiserism again if
assured that they could be certain of
living wages. shorter hours, better
housing, lower taxes and an oppor.
tunity to rest decently in their age.
Those who look to Germany for a
great revulsion, an awakening of new
spirit condemning the war as crime
are bound to be disappointed. The
revolution is but a demand for eco
nomic, not moral, reform. 1t must
be dealt with accordingly by the Paris
conference in shaping the treaty OF
peace. The German people have
measured the defeat of their armies
only in terms of their fears for the
future, and they are doubtless cheer.
ing their returning heroes" in the
hope that they may aid them in a new
deal.