Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1918-05-29
How the Unforeseen Thwarted Great Plan


use of all resources at their command,
natural and human, to build up the
modern German empire. Their trade
was marvellous, their goods found in
all the markets Of the world, their
ships in every port, their flag in every
port, by fair means and foul, as we
are finding out, and that which had
been an imagination became Gull
tural and industrial enterprise. They
were going to dominate the world by
sheer ability, free field and no favor,
and to a large extent we in America
rather accepted the domination, and
if a thing were German, it was right.
But they were not satisfied with that.
Side by side with the growth of that
stupendous mechanical efficiency, of
course was the growth of the military
machine. Germany had become a
greater Prussia. Prussia made Ger
many military as she had never been
before. The kaiser thought of himself
first Of. all as a soldier Every city
official was also a military officer. The
whole life was organized in military
fashion, through and through, and ev-
cry man knew that first of all was his
military duty, and that when the word
came from above and it was only a
word, he dropped whatever he was
doing, pleasure, work, would get on
train, step into barracks, and join
the millions of others. There never
has been anything like it in the his
tory of man, in the marvellous perfec-
ton of a military machine. Then that
which began as an imagination and
hoy n al =
conspiracy.
Rule of Force.
They said, 1--WE will use this great
est tool that we have got to bring the
world to our feet-by force" They
were under no Illusions as to what it
involved. The leaders in Berlin knew
it would involve the breakdown OF all
ethical standards, and it would mean
solemn treaties would be torn to piec-
es, that all the conventions that had
been carefully organized for mittgat-
ing human welfare would be abrogat
ed, that the Red Cross, the badge Of
mercy that marked messengers for
safety would become targets, that
hospital ships would be sunk, tnatr
hospitals we're to be bombed, and wo-
men and children treated with ut
most barbarity. They knew that it
meant putting. back the tide of hui
man progress 1900 years Embark
ing on that enterprise, the Germans
thought that they did God a service,
for they worshipped a strange God
Conquest of the world is not an
easy matter. The Germans knew it.,
with nYfro
ordinary ingenuity. The conspiracy
involved three stages, each involving
a big war. The second and third were
very simple, but the first was very
complex. Gaining the success of the
first, the second and third would fol-
low The first stage involved the pc
cuIiar wickedness which can best be
expressed by the slang term, double
cross" Berlin distinctly and definite
ly planned that type of procedure,
and whom were they going to double
cross?
Berlin looked at a map of the world,
that had a spy on every spot, or did
have. Berlin looked and saw 100000
900 people ready to fall into their
hands, like ripe fruit waiting to be
plucked. Themselves about 100000
they found the possibility Of more
than doubling their population, and
considerably more than doubling their
resources. Who were those 100000
900? Immediately south of Germany
extends that heterogeneous, political
entity, the Austro-Hungarian empire.
The most fundamental thing to re-
member is that they are not ma
ton, there is nothing in that empire
which constitutes national life. There
are three main divisions, about
10, 900 900 Germans, 100000 Mag
vars and 100000 Slavs and Lat.ns
Each one hates the other two. They
stay together because they can't fall
apart, because they are surrounded
on all sides. That isn't a nation
They only hold together because the
two elements have agreed to bully
and Cypress the third, which consti-
tutes the majority. The majority OF
the people hate the government and
wait patiently, and cry, Lord, how
lOng?" There are men tonight fight
ing under flag they hate, and pray
ing for the success of the enemy. Is
there tragedy worse than that?
Mass OF Discomfort.
Berlin looked down, saw Austria
Hungary and saw that fermenting
mass of discomfort. Berlin said
"Austria-Hungary needs kultur." By
kultur they mean that organization OF
life, they have developed, which is pc
culiarly Prussian, with every man in
his place, most Of them at the. bot
tom, trained to do their work and to
stay there, to be in his place and do
his part up to the highest himself
the kaiser. They said Austria-Hun-
gary needs our organizing power and
those 5Q,000,00O will become our sub
jects.
Then there were the Balkans. Dur
ing the last hundred years they had
gone out from under the tyranny OF
Turkey, which lasted through cen
turtles. First the Greeks, then the
Bulgarians, Serbs, and then Monten-
egrins had broken away, but by reas-
on of their long history, the diver
stiles between them, the differences
OF race, religion, customs, they have
never become a united federation
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