Evening star., 1918-06-10

soil for the Prussian policy of ac-
Quiring territory and mastery py
brute force regardless Of justice, mo
rality or the rights of others. This
highly developed intellectually as the
Germans Is one Of the most extraor-
dinary psychological phenomena OF
modern times. 1t is hard to analyze
1t and even harder to find for 1t a
plausible explanation.
| 'In such congenial environments the
ideas of the absorption Of Belgium and
| the Netherlands, of the Germanizing OF
| the Scandinavian and Slavic countries
of Mittel-Europa, and finally Of world
empire greater even in relative extent
4 than that Of Macedonia or Rome. germi-
mated and thrived. To make ready for
| the year and the day when these ex-
travagant dreams Of conquest were by
force OF arms to be made realities and
| when all nations would be sub1ugated
by the imperial power Of Germany alb
sorbed the thought and dictated the acts
| of the PruSSianS who had so success
| fully subdued their Germanfc neighbors.
at first physically and later mentally.
until they belonged body and soul to
their war lords.
with this vast ambition in their
| hearts the rulers of Germany sent forth
swarms of agents throughout the world
to create. in SO far as they were able.
conditions favorable to the great enter.
prise. Some sought to win the good will
of the nations to which they were sent:
others, to ALLEVIATE or weaken the friend
ships between nations, whose alliance
or mutual support the German govern
ment feared would constitute possible
| obstacle to its great scheme OF world
conquest.
"Sincere and honest, the governments
against which these intrigues, were
directed believed the imperial German
government to possess a character like
| their own. Naturally trustful, they fell
victims to the snares set to entrap
| them. There seem to have been no
depths of infamy which the. Germans
did not sound in carrying out their
foreign policy of deception.
Light Thrown on Past.
'In what a new light many events of
the past appear when the truth becomes
known! The yellow peril speech of the
kaiser, the wholly unjustified suspicious
of imperialistic designs on the part OF
the United States whispered artfully
among nations of South America, the
financial schemes and revolutions pro-
noted secretly by Germans in the Car
ibbean countries. the encouragement of
continued turmoil and anti-American
feeling among warning factions in Mexi.
co, and the propaganda of distrust and
hostility carried on in this country and
in Japan are among the things made
in Germany directly affecting the inter-
national relations Of the United States.
! It is only within a comparatively recent
fine that we were fully convinced OF
their origin and gave them their true
ls bells. Yet, because we were so inno-
cent and trusting, the unpleasant truth
comes as a greater shock and excites
deepers resentment.
''In addition to these practices. which
had been in operation long before the
great war and were preliminary to that
supreme event in the Prussian plan.
might refer to the plots which, after
the war began and while this country
was still neutral. were directed. ap-
proved or financed by Count Bernstorfr.
Won Papen, ,Boy-E Ed, Luxburg. Won Eek
hardt and other official representatives
and secret agents of the Berlin govern
ment. But the activities Of these men
rave been exposed and their disgracefuI
record is common knowledge arousins
Just indignation throughout this coun-
try.
q. s. Kept Watch Before War.