The Mt. Sterling advocate. (Mt. Sterling, Ky.) 1890-current, 1918-11-19
Final Scenes Being Enacted In Great
est and Bloodiest Drama
Of World History

vi w VI ~
The German people, for a genera
ton the obedient and submissive
servants Of their war lord, for more
than four years his plant instru-
ments in ravaging the world, have
spoken a new word, and the old Ger
many is gone. From the confused,
sometimes conflicting and often de-
layed advices from Germany in the
last two days, it has now become APP
parent that William, Emperor and
King, has been stripped Of his power.
He is now plain William Hohenzol-
lern, fugitive in Holland. With his
fall topples in ruin Williams mad de-
sign to rule the world.
Little is known of the situation to-
day in Germany, for that country is
in the first days of its new adven-
ture. 1t is not clear whether the old
regime has been permanently dis
lodged or whether the new authori-
ties, with the INSCRIPTIONS adroit-
ness which has long marked German
politics, are purely sacrificing the
chief figure-heads of Kaiserism in
the hope of obtaining an easier
peace. 1t appears probable that no
one in Germany knows, and that it
is still to be determined which Of the
outstanding elements will gain the
upper hand.
Revolution is spreading rapidly,
and from the fact that Socialist is
now Chancellor it may be gathered
that the object Of the revolution is
not merely the quick ending Of the
war but the complete severance Of
the political ties which still bind the
nation with its past.
Problem Changed
For the Allies the problem has
changed. The countries which fought
Germany and her vassals for more
than four years have emerged from
it completely triumphant, but with
in the borders of the countries which
menaced the peace of the whole
world stalks revolt, famine and an
archy. The worlds next task may
be to restore order in the desolated
Central Empires. It may be the lot
Of the forces who have successfully
contested Germany's greed for power
to save her from the fate she i'm
posed on Russia. Likewise, help will
have to be given to Austria Hungary,
Bulgaria and Turkey, whose ruin
Germany wrought.
The German empire was the last
Of the great autocracies whose fall
marks the real significance Of the
war. In Russia, Austria Hungary
and finally in Germany irresponsible
power gave way before the irresisti-
BILE forces of democracy. Germany
holding on to the last, kept up the
hopeless struggle until Field Marshal
Won Hindenburg's prophetic words.
early in the war, came true. The side
with the strongest nerves, said he,
would win. It was in the crumbling
of the home front which made it i'm
possible for Germany, notwithstand-
ing her great armies in the field, to
carry on any longer.
The collapse of Germany brings
the eclipse of the German idea of the
State. as opposed to the doctrine of
individual rights, to which the nation
chung with hardly a dissenting voice
until recently. Under this regime
there was developed a nation of
which militarism was the embodiment
which murdered and plundered, was
Needless of the rights of the individ-
ual and made terrorism a matter of
studied policy. This terrorism was
directed against not only individuals,
but against nations, against not only
hostile nations, but those with which
Germany was officially at peace. Its
system of espionage, corruption and
violence extended over the world. II
was exemplifed by the plots carried
out in this country under direction Of
the government for the destruction
of munition plants and ships before
the United States entered the war.
and by the effort of the German Gov
eminent to embroil this country. then
in war with Japan and Mex
leo. No capital of Europe was free
from German secret agents in the
wears preceding the war, and the ma
tions lived in growing dread of the
huge military machine which Ger
many was building up, to the accom-
paniment of the Emperor's boastings
Of the "shining sword" and German
toasts to "Der Tag" in voices which
echoed around the world.