Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1918-01-12

pEsPoTs TO
IGNORE NATIONS HUNGER
viii Drive War Tired Teutons Thru
Fourth Winter Of ConfIict-Reich-
STAG Mere Debating School For Air
ING Of Personal Views Of Power!ess
Politicians.

[By Frederick William Willie, former
Berlin correspondent of the London
Daily Mail, regarded as the best in
formed British journalist on inside con-
ditions in Germany. He is a native Of
Indiana, went originally to Europe as
correspondent for several American
newspapers and IS the author OF Men
Around the kalser."I
London, Jan. 1--we still shrink
from facing the facts regarding Ger
many. We prefer comforting theories
to dlsagreeaple actualities.
This is convenient, but it isn't war
Thru Dutch, Swiss and Scandinavian
channels which serve as filters for the
alleged news Germany would like to
have the world believe, we again hear
the old familiar word, crisis" -political
"crisls"-food crisis ct cetera.
| In view Of our inclination to make
the wish father to the thought, let me
present in tabloid the elements, per-
sonal or otherwise, Of these crises
Hindenburs All Powerful.
Hindenburg is supreme dictator OF
Germany. Ludendorff is the actual
|general:ssimo under Hindenburg, whose
popularity is now so great that prac-
tically anything can be accomplished
by invoking it.
The kaiser has never been so much
in the hands Of the military despots
as he is today. He is emperor no
longer by divine right-but by grace OF
the great god Hindenburg.
The crown prince is thick and thin
supporter of Hindenburgism.
Chancellor Won Hertling is linden
burgs political manager.
Foreign Secretary Kuehlmann is per-
mitted to do only what is ordered. His
Brest- Litovsk tactics, far from irritat-
ing Hindenburg, were dictated by him
and are alterable If and when Hin
denburg decides it is necessary ,Kuehl-
mann will 60 or stay, according TO
Hindenburg' pleasure.
Reichstag Merely Debates.
.reichstag today is precisely what
Bismarck founded forty-seven years
ago-merely an imperial debating So
ciety, where the peoples representa-
tives blow off steam and can call the
government without police interference.
It's only vestige Of power is in the vot-
ing of funds-which duty itslhas per-
formed dutifully. saz H.
fhe only untamed dependent social
lists are few out Of total membership
Of 397 in-the reichstag and they are
the only ones who ever oppose war
credits. s.a.
The government haggles with the
reichstag partly leaders merely for tn.
purpose of saving itself trouble
Hungry, But Not Starving.
The food situation probably was
never so bad But it Is not critical to
the breaking point Regularly near
the middle Of the winter comes the
starvation story out Of Germany
The coal shortage undoubtedly has
been aggravated, but the way the
Germans have stuck it out so far in
dicates they will survive the present
winter discomfort.
The German army Is unquestionab!y
war tired. The German nation Is war
weary-but this applies also to others.
There Is probably no more popular
growing in Germany than here. NUM-
lions trains continue to roll to the west
and Germany is making airplanes.
submarines and shells at rate hither-
to unequalled. Two or three million
prisoners are all making munitions in
one form or another.
AS to the possibility Of a revolution.
Heine, the keenest student Of Prussian
psychology, once remarked that "revo-
lutions in Germany were impossible
because verboten!".
This is cynical-but 1t is literally