The Washington herald., 1918-04-27
Out in the Open.

Why has German mtarsm thrown aside its
mask of lies its camouflagc OF morality, its fatuouS
pretense that Prussia is fighting a OF selt-de-
tense forced upon her by league of enemies seek
ing to tear her to pieces?
Until the past Jew months the miiitarists were
brazening it out They were vociferating the purity
of their cause, denying any imputed ideas OF con-
Uuest and booty even purrng softly over that Boil
sheyik formula mo annexations and indcmni-
ties" They were fighting through the medium OF
the organized and instituted lie to maintain the
good name and the good faith Of German things in
those outlying sections OF the world which could be
dupcd and bulhed.
Perhaps the overdose OF falsehood has produced
such ennui and nausea in that tough-minded Ger
man ruling class that it has relapscd to its natural
meter of blunncss and arrogance and open, brutal
satisfaction OF its appetite AS a wolf in Sleeps
clothing the German autocracy was playing a
clumsy silly role and its wisest heads knew it. 1t
deceived nobody worth dccciving. 1t was whin-
ing Pecksniff so futile that the whole world was
laughing at its effort to cover up" Naturally, this
TACT to some extent penetrated the German Pachy-
dcruL Intelligent Teutons could not be altogether
obvious OF the fact that their nation was making
an absurd spectacle of itself in trying to deceive the
neutral countries about the underlying facts OF the
went up in Berlin when the militarists at last deem
cd themselves strong enough to throw off the mask
and ayow with proud defiance their traditional doc
trinc OF Vac NictiS or woo 10 the vanqushed, and
that might makes right
This turning point in German thought and psy-
chology came when Russia hamstrung three
, months ago. 1t then that Won kuchlmann, the
German foreign minister, issued those notorious
state documents from Berlin which, for pure, sheer
thp yIC1C
history OF dplomacy-thcre is nothing in the me
rIor5 OF Machiave Mcttcrnich to surp&ss them.
TO win an empty triumph at Brcst-LitCvsk on
HuchInann slew Germany. In retrospect there is
other way OF expressing it adequately. He har-
ucsscd the peak-load on German iaithlessnCss which
for centuries to come will be the classic ideal OF
moral bankruptcy.
Nou kuchlmaun merely obcying the behcst
OF his military masters, however, and he will bear
the odium OF puppct rather than o. primary
force in the dirty business. His volte face was
merely the evidence that the military ring, with the
breath OF conquest and unbridled power in its nos
trs more deemed itself strong enough to say
to the world: I'VE don't give rap about what you
n think OF and Our ideas OF morality. We out
to win this war. and we're going to do it. We arc
going to rule all of.you by the sword"
This is the keynote OF the offensive in the West
and the keynote OF the policy Of ferocous sup
pTCSSOH al nome. nc herman OllSaTCny no longer
feels the need OF placating the German people any
moro than that OF throwing olive branch to the
world. Ii is we'll aware OF the fact that to win in
the West it must sacrifice hundreds of thousands
OF men, but it is prepared to tramplc down any
civilian protest home the frghtul slaughter.
II is ready to go the limit" Foch, Hag and Per
shing know this very WELL and that is why every
authority is emphasizing the necessity OF building
up vast reserve OF allied man power in France.
LudcndoriI and Hmdcnburg are going TO make this
a continuing test hght-a sort OF pixies Peak or
bust affair. The Germans arc mistaken in their
conhdCncc OF victory. Their newspapers dis
cussiug the OF indemnity the central powers
Will collect, promising that soft peace will
be allowed discussing the future of tho German
world state with every assurance that all others
viii be subject peoples.
THIS the Kind oi blind but blazing opinion
that IS sprcId throughout Germany today 1t is
littlr wonder that the hypocrtc's mask has been
shoru.
When iIe awakening comes how lar will The
pCrdIum swing IN the opposite direction:
= Words Of Courage.