The Washington times., 1918-04-13

Berlin subway like an ordinary
mortal,
After the outbreak OF war I never
saw the Kaiser. He was not at the
opera He never showed himself to
the populace on holidays. But his
picture was everywhere in the shops
and restaurants, and he figured con-
stantly on the screen at the movies.
and we were told by the newspapers
OF his sudden appearance on this or
that front and sometimes wondered
IL the stories were true, so arduous
was the travel involved.
Toward the crown prince Germans
have an indulgent air. as no one
takes him seriously. You hear Ger
mans call him a fool. Many accuse
him of having wanted the war, and,
while the papers try to make him
out a hero for his exploits at Verdun,
readers laugh. 1t is a good-natured
laugh, however, for they believe him
jolly, happy-go-lucky fellow who
fiirts recklessly, enjoys a lark, and
once stood up for the common people
in memorable outburst in the
Reichstag.
People Dare to Speak Minds.
I recall few particularly startling
expressions OF opinion regarding the
three war chancellors-Bethma
Hollweg, Michaelis, Won Hertling.
knew, of course, that Bethmann-Holl-
veg had a strong following and
spoke his mind more daringly than
any chancellor before or since. At
the same time ! knew he was critt-
cised. Germans said In my hearing:
"He ought not to have admitted that
we did wrong when we went into
Belgium. Never confess your faults
to your enemies"
When Michaelis succeeded him,
there was the furry that always ats
tends the appointment of a new chan
ccllor in Germany. but Michaelis van
ished before we had begun to have a
very clear idea as to what sort OF man
he was. or Won Hertling. people said
and still say, "a wonderfully dlplo-
matte appointment. This helps Bavaria
and Prussia to pull together"
1t is not against the chancellor or
against the Hohenzollerns that the in
creasingly bitter hatred among the
masses Is directed. They hate the
whole government-as an institution
II they gave 1t little thought before
the war, their minds dwell on II con-
stantly now, and they discuss IL with
astonishing freedom, once they get to
know you. The same people who begin
by defending autocracy come later to
condemn II frankly. You note their
intense fear at first. Little by little It
subsidies If you gain their confidence.
Germans Eyes All Humbugs.
The most glaringly obvious abuses
the three class voting sytsem in
Prussia and the gerrymander that
gives disproportionate representation
to the multItudes of radicals-catch
the roasting they deserve. But the
thing does not stop there by any
means. More and more Germans every
year are getting their eyes open TO
the humbugs and swindles ingeniously
concealed in the German constitution.
They ask themselves what possible
good II does them to vote freely for
members OF the Reichstag when an up
per house composed OF delegates ap-
pointed by the dukes. granddukes, and
kings of German states. chief Of which
Is King Wilhelm's Prussia) can. with
the Raiser's consent, dissolve the
Reichstag, as II has repeatedly dissolved
It ere this. and has a right OF veto over
all Its decisions? They are sick and
tired OF freely electIng representatives
who. when elected, are not free to rep
resent them. Moreover, they are sick
and tired Of the system under which
the chancellor is responsible only to the
autocracy, and the autocracy RESPONSE
BILE to no one. Incidentally. they are
sick and tired OF a government that has
strewn all Germany with "verboten"
signs.
RuIerss Know Resentment Grows.
They joke about them now. An army
officer said to me. in discussing Belgium:
Suppose Belgian troops had invaded
Germany. Wouldn't the civil population
have poured oil from windows and
thrown things from windows and fred
rifles from windows? You know they
would" But almost instantly he ex-
claimed: Nonsense! Our government
would have put up a 'Verboten' sign.
and all the windows would have come
down with n bang"
The Kaiser perfectly understands the
growing and already savage resentment
against tyranny. lie meets il by ptom
ising all political felicities and bene-
IA ctions after the war. Why not now?
For plausible enough reasons. To
Germany in n thoroughly
way the participation OF all
Germans IL necessary. How can that
be arranged when millions are in the
trenches? Have patience? Wait! To
put the thing through now would be un-
fair to the soldiers
What do the sour, angered, Sc
cretly mutinous German masses think
they want? What does the German
think they want? A re-
public, one might infer. as every
means had been employed to disgust
them with the very idea Of a repub-
lie. All our municipal scandals are
srrupulously written up for cOnsump-
ti,n by the German masses. They
read OF crimes committed In America.
Of the ever busy divorce mill in
America. Of the frequency of prevent
able disasters In America Always
IN" official comment is: "You see
what results from republican form
Of government"
Or do the German masses sincerely
believe IN some socialist Utopia or
other? If SO, | wonder what leaders
would help them tn secure II. Not
I.iebknecht. even had he a free hand.
! know too many Germans who now
call him tactlcss and say he hurts
his own cause. Not Harden. had he "A
free hand. lie was enormously infiu-
ential when he stood for Wilson's
policies. ! heard Germans say. "If
man IKE Harden will take sides with
him. there must he some good IN
Wilson" But Hardrns paper has
been suppressed and Harden himself
cowed. He spoke In Munich while 7
was there. and oh. the disappointed
audience tnat night and the jeers In
the papers next day. What with sur
yeillance by the pOlice and with tina