New-York tribune., 1918-06-29

Said to Have
Quit His Post
Triumph of Annexationists
Seen in Action of For
eign Minister
By C. w. Gilbert

WASHINGTON, June 28.-The resig-
nation of DR.. Won Kuehlmann, the Ger
nan Foreign Secretary, is reported here
in Washington.
This means the complete triumph of
the annexationist and pan-German
party in Germany. Militarism is left
in undisputed sway, as IT was in Aus
tria when Count Czernin was forced
out Of Office for giving offence to
Ludendorff and the other masters Of
Germany's n-ilitary policy.
While the big offensive is. on the
military leaders will not have anything
said by the diplomatists which shows
the slightest sign Of weakness. In
the case of Czernin, he sought to play
the game Of the militarists by breaches
of confidence which would tend to show
that the Allies were seeking peace,
when letter of the Emperor's came
10 light which involved Austria more
deeply in the peace efforts than Czernin
had succeeded in involving the Allies.
Czernin went because he lad most in
opportunely shown his country's yearn-
ing for an end of the war, inopportune-
ly because Germany was just beginning
her greatest military effort.
Opposed U-boat Campaign
Won Kueh!mann makes the same mis-
take The diplomats of the Central
Powers do not think and speak the
came language as the militarists. They
think of Hindenburg and Ludendorff
as merely preparing the way Tor a
diplomatic victory. They object when
the high command insists upon mill
tary measures which put diplomatic
victory further off. They opposed the
unlimited U-boat campaign because Of
its diplomatic consequences, the bring
ing of new enemy into the lists
against Germany. They doubt the
ultimate complete efficacy Of tremen-
dous drive. They believe that the war
will be won with their weapons rather
than with the weapons of the soldiers.
1t is natural; each man believes in his
own trade.
And now at least there is only one
trade in Germany. Clemenceau says:
II make war" Germany says II make
war" The man who succeeds Won
Kuehlmann will think in the terms of
a military victory whose results it will
be his as diplomat to harvest. Until
there will be no marriage of diplomacy
and force. Diplomacy will be subordi-
mated to force.
The Offence of Kuehlmann
1t is difficult to see how Won Kuehl-
mann made the blunder that forced his
resignation. The presumption would
be that his speech had the approval of
the German high command before it
vas delivered. But apparently it was
not so approved.
The offence of Won Kuehlmann was
that he implied, right in the midst of
Germany's efforts to obtain military
decision, that military decision was
impossible, and that he tended to con-
firm the Lichnowsky view that England
was not responsible for bringing on the
war. No doubt it was what he has,
diplomacy has. always known, and what
much of Germany believes, although
Germany is silenced by the military ef-
forts on the West front. Perhaps
self-revelation was half
But however that may
be, the anuexationists and pan-Ger-
mans had been opposed to the Foreign
Secretary as out gof sympathy with
heir extravagant ambitions. And. they
seized upon his indiscretion to drive
him out of Office.
The change chiefly concerns US as IL
Affects the prospects Of peace ofen-
1--WE when Germany's present military
Effort reaches its height.
In place of Won Kuehfmann, when the
German peace offensive begins, will be
! man who speaks the language Of ths
high command and of the annexation
ists and pan Germans. Diplomacy viii
be the handmaiden of force.
Those who cling to the hope thar
Continued on pdoe four