The Washington herald., 1918-01-16
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OFFICE HEAD
Entente Diplomats Here Say
Won Hertling's Days Are
Numbered.

Won Hertling's days as Imperial
Chancellor Of Germany are numbered,
in the belief Of Entente diplomats in
Washington. That he will hold the
post even long enough to give the
Berlin governments answer to the
war aims speeches Of President Will
son and Premier Lloyd George, OF
England. Is regarded as doubtful.
Won Hertling's successor, II is pre-
dicted here, will be more IN sympa-
thy with the Pan-German views.
Retirement Expected.
This is the Interpretation that is
placed on the sudden postponement
Of the chancellor's scheduled address
TO the Reichstag on the ground Of
Illness" AS between choosing a
text for his address certain to offend
the liberals of Germany. and courting
retirement. Won Hertling is thought
to have resigned himself to the latter
alternative.
According to this view of the sit
uatiOn. the war party in Germany
has affairs so well in hand that it
is determined to try for an issue at
arms and neglect any possibility
AOr peace OA COhpEOnllse a. lhls
time.
This decision is believed to be
strengthened by stories of sallied
distress which have reached Ger
many. Among these stories are
the appeal of Col. House for the
Immediate despatch OF American
troops. the acute food and fuel sit
uation in the allied world, Sir AUX
land Geddes' appeal for more SOL
diers in England and exaggerated
stories of the increasing success of
the submarine campaign.
Count Won Hertling. the imperial
chancellor. and DR.. Won Kuehlmann
were considered in Berlin late to-
night virtually out of office, the
question being as to who will sue
ceed them.
Everything points to a ruthless,
smashing annexationist stampede
upon the responsible official posi-
tions of the empire. Every man
in the present government who
does not unqualifiedly adhere to
the gospel of a strong peace, a
German peace" is to be hit by the
pilitarist axe and a militarist will
step up to take his place.
Against that plan the Liberals are
making the fight of their lives. a yali-
ant but, according to all symptoms, a
losing fight Mass meetings are held
in every part of the Fatherland at
which renunciatiop OF the annexation
ist doctrine is clamored for by such
influential men as DR.. Dernburg. Even
a Junkerist meeting. Berlin dispatches
state. was turned into a sDiffted dem-
onstration against conquest, the mill
g. - hAfr,ur hnxula1 d0Nuu hV
the crowd which then spoke its own
mind.
People Restiye.
In hundreds Of cities huge meetings
adopted resolutions for a "conciliatory
general peace" In all speeches Presi-
dent wilson's latest message on peace
aims was clearly reflected. His main
principles were heartily indorsed,
though not everywhere with open ref
erence to him.
Next to Bolshevikinn, the greatest
fear inspiring thoughts of the mill
tarists Is that this internal dissension
will undermine the armed forces.
Herein Is seen another argument why
Germany must and will strike soon
in the West. Hindenburg had hoped
to postpone the drive, hoping for bet
ter weather and banking on the
U-boat as an ally.
Prince Won Buelow looms as the
most likely successor to Hertling, ac-
cording to Berlin advices. Among the
statesmen who have hurried to Berlin
and who are counseliing the Kaiser is
Count Won Bernstorff, the former AM
bassadOr to the United States, now
stationed at COnstantinople. One of
the busiest men around the Kaiser
Just now is the Crow. Prince. As at
the time of Bethmann- Hollweg's fall,
the heir apparent hurried to Berlin in
the present crisis to save the day for
the militarists.