Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-05-04
HOW LONG CAN AUToCRACY
HOLD OUT?

THE war will end when autocracy--
especially the Prussian brand-hnds
il impossible longer to get armies 10
fight for it. How near that time Is no
man knows. 1t would be fatal mistake
for us to assume that it is to arrive soon
enough to relieve us from the necessity
of mobilizing all our available force to
defeat the autocrats, even II they nave
every man in their nations behind them'
Yet an examination Of conditions IN
Germany and Austria Hungary may be
profitable. We know the state OF opinion
in America. We know what it would be II
we had been fighting for nearly four
years when we had thought we could win
our war in four months. Folks are
folks, whatever language they may
speak. Therefore we can conceive some
thing Of the state Of opinion in the Cen
tral empires. But we do not have to
interpret the people there in the light of
our own mental processes. We have
some facts.
Take the case of Austria Hungary:
Authentic reports have come across the
ocean that Bohemans have deserted from
the Austrian armies and are fighting with
the Italians Eighteen thousand Aus
trian prisoners in Italy from the Tran
syvanian and Bukownian districts also
asked permission to join the Italian
armies to fight their Austrian oppressors.
The request has been granted. News OF
what is happening cannot be kept from
the disaffected subjects of Emperor Carl
at home When they learn what deter
mined men have done to secure the de-
struction of the forces Of oppression they
will be encouraged to act for themselves.
1t was frequently said that the empire
would be broken up as soon as Francis
Joseph died, because loyalty to him was
all that kept it together The disaffection
which existed in time of peace has been
increased by the demonstration of the
horrors into which a monarch without the
nerve to resist German Vaccinations has
plunged them. The people are without
sufficient food and their sons are dying in
battle in order to make the Kaiser great.
1t is unreasonable to expect them to sub
nit much longer. Progressive disinte-
grafton is at work in Austria Hungary.
COHulIlOHS III GelHndnS are not 81 DNl'
But the party of democracy, which is
growing politically stronger than any
oth.- single German party. is fighting
the military faction. The line between
the Liberals and the Pan-Germans is
becoming sharper every month. The Lib
erals are determined to force their views
on the Government. Not long ago there
was an election for the Reichstag in
district in SaXony. Thousands of marks
were spent by the war party to defeat the
Social Democratic candidate, but he was
chosen by the largest majority ever given
in the district.
When President Wilson set forth his
fourteen terms of peace, conventions
attended by 10000 persons were held in
Frankfort and Munich. which adopted the
Presidents terms as their platform. The
Government forbade any mention of their
action to be printed.
1t is generally believed by those famil-
lar with the state of opinion in Germany
that the drive in Picardy was begun for
the purpose of convincing the Liberals
that the military party could win the war.
Men were sacrificed by the tens of thou
sands in a desperate attempt to break
through and save the party from a bitter
political attack at home. The attempt
has thus far failed and an effort is
likely to be made to appease the disaf-
fected by broadening the suffrage basis
in Prussia. But as soon as the suffrage is
extended the Social Democrats will elect
a majority over all in the Reichstag and
will call the militarsts to an account.
These conditions in the Central empires
will have their influence on the duration
of the war. But 100000 Americans in
arms in Europe will have more decisive
effect.