The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1918-04-26

Persistently Ignored.
 (The following remarkable cent issue of the "Arbeiter Zeit Social Democrats of Austria, un The fact that its publication wa tents, entities us to look upon u opinion in Vienna, if not in Bel ous of those moral issues whi( scornfully ignored in their con who are ready to translate sue into practical action, reconciliat the present we have to remem hands, and that it's transferenc
 The German people were once the people of poets and thinkers, the people of idealists. Germany has produced the most profound idealist philosophy; and till 1S4S the polit1- cal thought of the German people was dominated by the highest ideal ism. But what the German people before 184S and in that hurricane it. self sought in vain to attain through the highest idealistic enthusiasm, was given as a present to it, or rather to it's bourgeoisie, by the diplomacy of Bismarck and the victories of Moltke. What idea1ism failed to achieve was achieved by a policy (Staatskunst) in whose reckoning there were no ideals but merely in- terests, no moral convictions but merely the real power of cannon and bayonets. Under the impression of this historic experience, the outlook (Denkweise) of the German bour- geoisie was completely reversed. He who speaks of ideals is today a Uto- plan; he who appeals to moral con- victions is looked upon by it as an enthusiast. The sole aim which pol icy must set itself is the power and riches of ones own nation; he who speaks of the rights of other peoples is a fool. And power is nothing but bayonets and guns, riches are noth- ing but money and products of the soil; he who seeks to win the confi dence of men and the recognition of peoples is an idiot. 'Let them hate us if only they fear usI"-that is the watchword of this outlook in inter COuIS0 W1LI1 OIIlO1 pCOpLOSs 11chL Ao the real inner meaning of Pangerman- ism!
 This point of view started from very one-sided and superficial yer dict on Bismarck's success. But even he himself warned us against merely seeing those means of power which can be counted and weighed and over looking those no less important spirit ual ones, the imponderabilia which cannot be weighed. But the Panger- mans have learnt nothing from this phrase of Bismarck. They never could understand that the confidence and respect of neighboring peoples are also sources of strength. They know no other means of power save brute force and no other means save those dictated by the naked self-in- terest of their own class and nation. 'Let them hate us if only they fear us"-this challenge they have held in the face of the whole world. And so they have really succeeded in turn ing not only from the fear, but also the hatred, of the whole world not only upon themselves, but upon the whole German people, which has all LOO lOuS pSEII1IlSu Lu0Il lO SpSdh III it's name The world alliance against us could never have come about had not Pangerman rhetoric day by day raised all the peoples against us.
 German imperialism is proud of having always despised hypocrisy. It has daily shouted to all the world that it approves whatever increases Germany's power, and that it takes nothing into account save the world S fear of Germany's army and navy. It has utterly forgotten that there are other sources of power besides the military; that one cannot with impun- ity challenge the moral convictions which live in the nations, or pro- claim with impunity the resolve to place the interest of ones own coun- try above all human values. The same Pangermans who today rave against the self determination of peo- pies, against understanding and con- ciliation, who even in this war against the whole world expect their sole salvation from the sword-it is they that have produced the hatred which has made possible a war of the whole world against the Central Powers.
 The Pangermans represent the vio- lation of Belgian neutrality as the most natural thing in the world
 What folly to get excited over the infringement of treaty between peo- pies, as though the sword was not strong enough, and therefore entitled to tear up any scrap of paper! They have mocked the victims of the Zep- H. i jokes over the unfortunate people who were drowned on the torpedoed
 passenger liners. They have defend ed every cruelty against the unarm- ed by the lying argument that the
 more cruelty war is waged the better
 since it will end the sooneri AnG
 each of these provocative phrases ha; | been scattered through the world b1 1 the English and French press anC
 given out everywhere as the opinion
 of the whole German people. And SC
 hatred was famed against us till one
 nation after the other was dragged
 into the war. They share the blame
 for our having to defend ourselve.
 against the whole world, and now they
 come with their plans of conquest
 with their mad dream of ''victoriou
 peace" over all the great nations O
 the world, to kind1e hatred anew What we do need is not an extension
 of territory, but the confidence, re
 spect, and sympathy of other nations
 unless we are to live in permanen
 enmity with the whole world. Ant
 now is the most favorable time t
 make these moral conquests. Let u
 show the world that the Pangerman
 have no right to speak in the nam
 of the German people in Germany an
 Austria; that we do not wish to over come n1lr nnnnnentS h1r I,Inc.i ... 1-iL