The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-01-26


remain in German hands during the
present year But with the advent
of the American army as a real Ilshl.-
ing machine in the early spring Oh
1919 the initiative will again peions
to the Allies and will continue IN
their hands until Germany is beaten.
The German high command under,
stands this situation thoroly and VIII
endeavor to make the utmost OF the
year 1918. At some point on the long
allied front from the North Sea TO the
Persian frontier in Mesopotamia. inn
mense reserves of German men ana
German artillery and munitions WIN
be concentrated and then hurried
against the Allied lines
In selecting the point of attack
there are a number of considerations
that weigh heavily. In the first place
social and industrial unrest have pc
come ominiously persistent in austria
and Germany. At present the min
tary party is in the ascendancy ana
the populace is under control, put
that control cannot be held Inde1l-
nitely.
There are two great factions in Ger
many The Liberal element COM cont
posed largely of the working classes
and their Socialist leaders, ana the
Pan-Germans who are mllrtaristlc
and imperialistic in the extreme. ing
Liberals want peace and want II pau
ly. They object to continuing the
w
would welcome a peace without an
neXations of any kind. Many OF them
would be perfectly willing to return
Alsace-Lorraine to France. In the
main the peace terms stated oy I ,5
dent Wilson and Premier Lloyd
George would be quite satisfactory 10
most of them.
The Pan-German element includes
the royalty and nobility, the off1cers
of the army and all of those who have
haiT hQa rfC n
for the Fatherland. 1t is led ty HIM
Genburg, Ludendorf, Won Tirpitz, the
crown prince and the rest of that
group.
the Russian revolution, the peace
negotiations at Brest-Litovsk and the
statements of war aims by the allies
have contributed tremendously to the
influence and power of the Liberal ele-
Inent. Likewise the military collapse
of Russia and last falls victorious
campaign in Italy have contributed
enormously to the power and deter
Inination of the Pan-Germans-
Each of these factions has grown
at the expense of the group that lay
between the two extremes. There is
no large party of moderates standing
between the Pan-Germans and the
Liberals in Germany today. The gov
eminent is compelled to choose be-
tween one or the other of the ex-
tremes To yield to the Liberals now
of the government by the army and
the installation of a military dictator
to succeed the civil government. To
yield TO the military party, as the
government evidently has done, will
result inevitably in increasing discon-
tent among the masses and an ever
growing threat of revolution. With the
lines between the two elements sharp
ly drawn the day of compromise has
passed and for the present the govern
Inent has cast it's lot with the militar-
iste
There is only one way in which tho
Liberals can be held under control
permanently. That is by a hillary
victory of a far reaching anG decisive
nature. If the imperial government
felt that Germany's internal situation
was better 'than that of the allies it
would select Italy, the allied forces at
Salonika or the British forces in Pales-
tine Mesopotamia as the object of
attack. Victory in any one of these
places would be quite possible if Ger
many should choose to play a purely
defensive role in France and throw
her entire offensive power against one
of the fronts farther east. The trouble
is that victory on any of the fronts
mentioned would not be decisive. A
clear and conclusive triumph of Ger
man arms over the allies is necessary
if the militarists in Germany are to
be able to keep the lid on the seething
! Official pot at home. That sort of a
victory is possible only on what is
known as the western front stretching
from Switzerland to the North sea.
All military information coming out
of Europe points to this western front
as the scene of the tremendous blow
that is to be hurled at the allies. If
the military authorities are correct
and the blow is being prepared against
this front it is conclusive evidence of
the seriousness of internal conditions
in Germany
If the imperial government could
depend on the loyalty of its own peo-
pie for some years to come, the safer
and wiser plan would be to attack on
one of the other fronts and without
risking disaster make sure of import
ant if not conclusive victories. By
driving the allied armies at Salonika
into the sea, or crushing the British
forces in Palestine and Mesopotamia
or overrunning all Italy and forcing
that country to sue for a separate
peace. the German government could
strengthen its prestige at home, strike
a tremendous blow to the morale of
the remaining allies and place herself
in an excellent position to resist allied
attack on the western front in the
summer of 1919.
Apparently Germany cannot wait
and will seek a decision on the western
front during the coming spring and
summer. She is playing for high
stakes. If she wins and is able to roll
back the French and British armies
and put France out of the war for
good, she will be in position to die
tate peace on her own terms so far
a. continental Europe is concerned,
and the position of the military party
at home will be made secure for years
to come. If she loses. her reserves
will be exhausted. her prestige at
home and abroad will be broken and
Il will be only a matter of months
unl the allies will be able to carry
the war to German soil unless in
ternal collapse or revolution end the
war beforS the western democracies
can mobilize their forces for the
great invasion.
The German Junkers appear to be
desperate and preparing to stake
ona throu, Of +ba