Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-11-04
Making War Upon tho German People

Making war Upon the German People
E'OR more than four years the deluson has
been entertained in some quarters of the
world that the German government and the
German army were something apart from
the German people; that one was an ever
lord using the powerful military machine to
furthcr its conquests, to conquer its enemies
ana 10 overawe the great body of the Ger
man people. Much has been said and pre-
dicted regarding the possibility of an upris-
ing In Germany. Of an overthrow of the mill
itary regime and of q demand for peace on
the part OF the millions of souls now op-
pressed which the German government must
yield TO.
The cold, hard truth is that the German
government, the German army and the Ger
man people are one. There may be n few
protestants or insurgents here and there but
they seem to draw no water and TO carry
no weight There is no division in Germany
worthy OF the name. There is no public SEN
tihent contrary to the sentiment of the gov
eminent There is no great body of indie
pehdeht men and women 10 rise up and in
sist upon new policy or new program
FOR thst reason it is the business of the
aliied nations to make war, stern and re-
iehtiess war, not only upon the German gov
eminent and the German army, but upon the
German people. vt is foolish to talk longer
ABOUT crushing the army, the Junker and the
''aiiSS III oluSf 10 eject the doITeranCe
OF the German people. It is folly to look
longer for these people to abandon their gov
eminent, possibly to condemn it and turn
II out In the cold. Nothing of that sort will
happen. Inc German army and the German
people are the same, and the German gov
eminent is the creature Of the army.
All this has been demonstrated beyond nos
sio!e doupt. II there had been any separate
elements in Germany, revolt would long ago
have the
have been bauished the militarist ruIo NJ tho
empire would have been forced to abdicate.
lhe war would have come to an end and
peace would have been accepted This has
not come to pass for the sole reason that
The people and the military are indiyisib,e
Every able-boded man in the empire is under
mhtary control either as soldier or as a
munition worker, subject to draft the min
ute he falls to obey orders
If there is any rebellion in Gernanv on
titled TO be taken seriously that rebellion
must come from the army. It can dethrone
inc Kaiser, 1t can force the acceptance of
peace, it can democratize" the nation II
can bring the agony to an end. But not the
German people. They seem to be utterly
heipless In the power of the military es-
tapnshment" There is not the slightest hope.
II now appears, to propaganda such peopie
us i've and labor behind the German lines.
FOR the most part they are women. children
ola men and cripples anyway They have
no spirit within them and no means OF en-
forcing their will, even if they had spirit
FROM this time forward therefore. the
allied nations might as we'll make up their
minus to fight the whole German nation
they might as we'll dismiss the idea that they
are seeking only to crush the German army
ana outlaw the German government. When
the German army is crushed the German
people will be crushed, Of course. but there
Is not the slightest chance apparently. OF
the entente ever finding an ally in the Ger
man people, as such