New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1918-04-24
SLAVERY only q
Miles FROM WORLD
Gerard Describes Serious Military
Situation in France

New Haven, April 25.-James W.
Gerard, former ambassador to Ger
many, addressed the members of the
Union League club at their annual
dinner last night and held his audi
enco spellbound by his forceful re-
cital Of Belgian martyrdom, the Ger
man secret of national unity and the
critical time which we are passing
through, and which he referred to as
the most momentous in history.
After the applause following his in
PRODUCTION by President Russell had
subsidized, the former ami ssador re-
marked that four years Of life in Ger
many during the war takes the after
dinner spirit out of one, that the Ger
mans are terribly serious in this war,
that they do not make jokes and have
forgotten how to see a good joke.
I'VE do not realize here in this
prosperous community what war
means" said Mr.. Gerard, but it is
high time for us to realize that only
% miles lie between the German
lines and the dominion Of the world.
Think what that means to the Ger
man people, to the officers in COM
mand, and to the emperor out for
territory
The Germans are after the chan
mel ports. If they break through the
British and American lines they will
imm ediately lay tracks over which
the light, takeapart submarines can
be transported and with this new base
France can be shut off from supplies.
There never was a time in the history
of the world when a moment Of bat
tie was so decisive. The Germans
will repeat the assault, and we must
remember that they are nation who
will do anything to win.
eff they do win they will not treat
the conquered nation and the people
Of the conquered territory the way
we would. The German government
treats the territories gained in man
ner Of systematic barbarity. They
take everything, even to the door
knobs which are shipped to Germany
for their metal. Men, women and
children are herded together in a
manner depicted on the old Roman
and Assyrian monuments, and are
deported into real slavery.
Hun Victory Means World Slavery.
The territory of Northern France
and Belgium has suffered dreadfully
for the Germans, when they could not
secure voluntary labor, would at in
tervals send a platoon Of soldiers to
q certain street and rope in all the
women between 4 and 40, transport
them 60 miles away to till the fields
and live near the German peasant
soldier, in spite of the protests of the
Pope and the civilized world. Twenty
thousand women and girls have been
deported in this manner and when
the deported men refused to work,
the soldiers would enter the room
where they were herded together and
kick them into obedience.
''The German is thinking ahead all
the time and they have already def
mite plans for the numerical war
fare after the war. They will take
mans factory and move it into Ger
many; if they are unable to use the
machinery they will break it to pre-
vent competition. They have organ
lied a Central Buying Organization
which now and after the war regu-
lates the purchases of certain artl-
cles, for some Of which special per-
mission must be obtained for their
purchase outside Of Germany. An
other function Of this organization is
to find out, by the aid of industrial
spies abroad, the rock bottom price
Of q certain commodity, orders for
which are gathered by this central
organization from the buyers all over
Germany The German representa-
tive will then appear on, say the
American market, and force the mar
ket bv making the small concerns
come down in price. There Is only
one way in which we can combat this
and that Is by having the Sherman
Act publicly executed in the market
square. President Wilson has miti-
gated conditions somewhat by the
passage of the Webb Law.
The German System.
THE secret and system Of German
business success has peen, not as IN
our country, a process of elimination,
hut process Of confederation, which
results in strength. We have not
studied sufficiently in this country the
efficiency which Germany applies to
business The manufacturers do not
rule Germany, no class rules Ger
many, it is Prussia, imposing by
force it's will on the weaker pro
vlnces which rules all Germany.
Not only does the class system Oh
manhood franchise in Germany re-
suit in an unequal representation of
the classes in the Reichstag, but the
Ieichstag's power is almost purely
nominal since it serves only to sway
public opinion, as all laws, or almost
all, must originate in the Bundesrat
or upper house.
Germany is Prussianized to the
core. Her judges, teachers, preach
ers are appointed from above and
everyone in Germany must pay
al c,1 tav un1pSs thew have