The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-11-18

"The Kaiser has abdicated." These were the startling headlines in many of the great dailies last week and now comes word that he has found an asylum in Holland.
 It was after the battle of Sedan, less than 50 years ago, that, having capitu- lated, Napoleon III, Emperor of the French, was eat the mercy of William I, the King of Germany Beaten and stripped of the last vestige of power, and afraid of his own people, he sought shell ter in Germany.
 Now in the whirligig of time and the uncertainties of war the grandson of generated in the field, outpointed in the Reichstag, and has ignominiously turned tail and beat a hot retreat into Holland to save his face from foes without and preserve his skin from enemies within.
 After the famous interview between William I and Napoleon III the latter expressed to the Crown Prince of Prus- sia (who was later the beloved Emperor Frederick, whose short reign and sad death is the cause in large degree of Germany's present humiliation) his deep his father in the hour when he was so terribly alone and in need of friend.
 
 The passing of Napoleon III was also the passing of the empire in France, for a republic was set up-a republic which in spite of many pitfalls dug by mon archical pretenders has gone on not se- renely but tempestuously in her way until today she is the pride and marvel of the democracies of the world for the magnificent fight which she has made to save herself from her former con. Now the big question which looms up in statecraft is, Will Germany set up a republic which will endure or will she continue to be harassed after getting rid Of the despsed Hohenzollerns by a whole flock of German royal claimants? for the Lord knows there are scores of them whose hands are itching to grasp the sceptre and whose heads are aching to wear the imperial crown. Germany needs Thiers in this hour Has she got him in Ebert? Let us who have fought for democracy hope so, for k hangs not only the fate of the German people, but perhaps the future peace of the world. Many a time nation has been thought crushed and yet come back. ! This lesson we see in the redemption of France. We know how England fought her way up after the Napolebnic wars. Austria was continually beaten and yet grew in strength and power.
 
 It isn't necessary for me to argue for hard terms for Germany. It is unbeliev- able that being left in military hands with General Foch, Frenchman, who has seen things and knows the inside of the deviltry of the Hun thousand times more than those of us who sit in 
 office chairs calling for indemnities and |restorations, will make them too light to 1 fit the case.
 1 Then, contrary to the war experts, the battle on the front has not resulted in a stalemate, but on the contrary 1t de- generated into foot race and no one knows better than the Germans that the way is open to Berlin and that the al lies are in no mood to temporize or give up the satisfaction of doing unto the Hun as the Hun has done unto them and a little more in good measure, save the despoilng of women. the killing oi old men. and the maiming of young chil dren, and the useless destruction of ca thedrals and unfortified cities.
 After Sedan the road was open t