Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1918-06-17
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LETTER TO THE EDITOR. 4
Democracy Versus German
AutOcracy.

Il
\ The one thing every thinking Am
erican would like to know these criti-
cal times is what is going on in the
minds of the German people. No
doubt that their immediate attention
like that of the other belligerents, is
fastened on the French and Flemish
battlefields. But do they really be-
ieve that they are fighting defensive
war and that they will win this war?
Every sensible German must under
stand that by undertaking this de-
vastating offensive rather than using
their success in Russia as an ex-
cuse for offering acceptable terms of
peace, their rulers have acted as men
would act who are engaged in a des
perate and undefensible military ad.
venture. Their war aims have now
ceased to be shrouded in a decent am
biguity. They are revealed as frank
ly and Enthusiastically aggressive with
all the brutality which has marked
German conduct ever since the begin
ming of the war. No German liberal
who sincerely believed in the declara-
ton of " no annexations and no in
demnitiesi' of last summer, can re-
gard the present offensive as any
thing but the instrument of a policy
of sheer brutal aggression.
If the German government had for
its aim the abiding friendship Of the
Russian people and to connect their
own future freedom with the freedom
of other nations, the peace negotia-.
tons with Russia supplied it with all
the opportunity. 1t could have
managed to obtain settlement of the
problems of the eastern frontiers which
would be fair to Russia, which en-
bodied principles of general applica-
ton and which would prevent future
unrest; and by acting in this way
it would have compelled the Allied
governments to negotiate peace of
the same general description.
Instead however Of using the ne
gotiations with Russia as stepping
stone toward Cancellation, the blood
of the German people IS heing poured
out for a military decision which if
| it were obtained would involve their
continued subjugation and the COM
promising for an indefinite future of
popular liberty and democratic aspira-
| tions. The German people are being
| furnished with overwhelming proof Of
| the unlimited price their rulers are
willing to pay for the privilege of
dominating Europe. But unless the
advises from Germany are altogether
false, they have been by runnig so true
to form, been tempted into a self
revelation which will in the end I'M
loose their hold on their own people
Just as the eyest of so many Ameri-
can radicals have been opened by the
eastern treaties so the German peo-
pie are being taught an awful lesson
as to the nature of the gods to whom
the hecatombs of the Somme, the
User and Picardy are geing offered up
America cannot make peace with
such INDUSTRIOUS government. The
present German government cannot
be trusted-promises made by that
government are valueless. This was
true when our president penned his
answer to the pope and is even more
true now. 1t is highly doubtful if any
peace can be made with the Hohen-
zolerns.
We are fighting for world democ-
racy, for freedom for the entire world,
Germany included. These can only
be brought about by the total defeat
of the Prussian ruling military caste
America proposes to provide that de-
feat.
The appearance of American soldiers
in considerable numbers 1T the fore
front of the line of the worlds great
est battle is an event of transcendent
historical Importance. The forces
of the new new world have appeared
tC save liberty in Europe The orbit
of the world and not merely a hemis
phere is a field for the exploitation of
the ideas on which our government
was founded. We are committed to
principles whose Importance we do
not yet fully appreciate. We are out
for the organization of the world on
what may be now called the American
plan-not of course for the elevation
of our flag but for vindication of the
ideas for which the flag stands.
Despite all of its superficial ma
terialiSm America Is a land of senti-
,,op4o1 ;daoIiSvo ond f,,lI % faith fhat