The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-10-22

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political situation IL becoming clearer
with every day Of victory and every
successive retrogression on the part
Of the ugly thing at Berlin. But
when the authors Of all the infamy
profess surprise. both In the tone
Of the ofiicial note and In the d.
rect expressions Of the controlled un-
Official press. that the world should
have found their cruelties cruel. their
atrocities atrocious and their perndies
perfidlous, we are lost In bewilder-
ment at the psychologist state de-
noted-that Is. II We give the slight
est credence to the good faith Of these
long belated professions Of regard for
international law and respect for the
worlds honest opinion.
The apparent intent Of these rapid
ly rising bids for peace by "the
present German Government" Ii to
bring the people II has 20 long de-
luded. by successive and easy stages,
to q state Of mind which shall real
lie and accept the defeat now In
evitable without turning upon the
dynasty primarily responsible for the
national disaster and humiliation and
tearing that dynasty violently from
the seat Of power II has disgraced
and forfeited, That Is essentially
question between the Hohenzollerns
and the German people. President
WILSON'S interest In the matter. as
tho representative Of the American
people and the associated Allies, has
been made plain beyond the posi-
billty Of misconstruction. Prussian
diplomacy might wear itself out in
attempting to pass this verdun Of
fixed resolution. At the tomb Of
WASHINGTON on the birthday Of
American independence the President
declared that he could have no
parley with the German Government
that has been; that a fundamental.
a vital condition Of peace was salts
factory evidence Of the destruction
or reduction to virtual impotence Of
the arbitrary power which brought
the war upon the world. Nothing
short Of that could open the way
to a peace Of justice.
The whole question, therefore, 50
far as the Presidents solemnly de-
clared purpose is concerned. depends
upon the validity Of the evidence
now alleged by "the present German
Government" that the arbitrary
power which brought the war upon
the world has been destroyed; for
Its reduction to virtual impotence
means the same thing. Berlin tells
the President that the conditions
which permitted the crime Of 1914
have just now undergone a funda-
mental change" As we read the
specifications offered In support Of
this broad assertion they constitute
prospectus rather than a record
Of facts accomplished.
"a new Government has been
formed In accordance with the prin-
ciple Of representation Of the people.
based on equal. universal. secret,
direct franchise; but the voice now
speaking from Berlin cannot possibly
represent. except in anticipation and
by surmise, any actual expression of
such popular will. 1t has been declared
by the Federal Council, representing
autocracy in its extreme form, that
the sole power of war and peace shall
not be exercised by the Kaiser and
the Council as heretofore; but the
certified record Of that radical change
Is yet to reach our White House. A
bill to alter the Constitution to that
effect Is before the Reichstag; 1t has
not been passed by the Reichstag. The
direct responsibility Of the Imperial
Chancellor to the representatives of
the people as being legally devel-
| oped and safeguarded." That, too
! like all the other evidences of gov.
ernmental reform offered in DR.
SoLF's note, points to future enact
ment. A vast majority Of the Ger,
man people stands behind these re,
forms and demands their energetic
continuance" but we have heard YET
Of no pIebiscite on the subject. There
Is no escaping the fact, even If we
give full credit to DR.. SoLF's repre-,
sentation. that the change has ye
! TO he ACCOMPLISHED the new Germa n