Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-10-26
Why the Ks,iscr Must Go

N OUBT has arisen in the minds Of MANI
- men since the receipt of the second Ger
man note whether not it is literally neces-
sarY that the German Emperor be banished
from power before any peace can be made
with the German nation. More and moro
people are led to wonder if the reforms in
the German government are not after all.
sufficient for all purposes of the allied gov
ernment, assuming. Of course, that these re-
forms nave been made in good faith and
lhat their effect is to reduce tho house of
ifohehzollern TO virtual impotency in the af-
fairs of the German nation.
II is not unnatural that such doubts should
arise. they proceed from the feeling that
germany, SICK of war and conscious of the
necessity for taking affairs into her own
hands, has met the condition regarding do
mestic reform imposed by the President as the
spokesman OF the allies. AS such people see
II, all that Germanys enemies have a right
10 demand is that some responsible popular
government DC set up, government with
which the civilized world can treat and in
which reliance can be placed
Iherc Is another phase to this question
Inc German Emperor is the very personifi-
catlon OF the spirit of mlitarism against
which the allies are making war He is the
head and shoulders of that Prussianized re-
sime which must be crushed. He brought
on THIS war by his single choice and he mar
shaied the German nation for its prosecu-
ZION without consulting that nation He em-
pooies tNe autocracy against which civiliza-
ton has rendered its verdict, and the SEN
tence against him must be executed.
Moreover present-day autocraccs and au-
locracies OF the future must have an ever
lasting reminder of the penalty for running
amuck' in the fate of Wilhelm H. of Ger
many There could be no such reminder if
the German Kaiser should be allowed to re-
man on his throne, whatever revolutionary
changes might take place in the gov
eminent which . he dominated for two
generations. Only his voluntary abdi
cation or his involuntary exile will
meet the situation. That will be the
sign which all the world awaits that victory
mas been achieved by Germanys enemies and
.,"' .he future Is safeguarded against another
bloody CONFUSION.
The nations which combined against
Bonapartism faced the same issue Ma
poieon stood forth at that time as the per-
sonlhcatlon of the spirit Of conquest He
mad all but conquered Europe when he met
Ills Waterloo. 1t was not enough then that
he should be defeated OH the battle field.
MS leslons vanquished and his aggressive
power broken. He himself had to be exiled.
Nothihs short of that would furnish guar
antce that he would not again rise against
his enemies and plunge Europe into another
season Of horror and ruin
Prussia joined at that time in the Danish
ment OF the French conqueror. and Prussia
must be made to acquiescc in the Punishment
from power OF her own ruthless ruler. If
Germany wants peace, the quickest possible
way ior her to attain it would be through
the reinforcement OF her Emperor. Within
'eii ua!S from such an event it would be pos
slole Tor Lndendorff and Hindenburg to effect
cl,.,1 MI
truce is made peace would be both in sight
and within reach.