Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-07-13
DIR. MUEHLON's WARNING


ONCE again Hertling is banging his
drum to call the world into his side
show tent. "See the remarkable Hohen-
zollern Peace!' he barks; "Looks just
like the real thing!" But unluckily for
Hertling, Doctor Muehlon, the former
Krupp director, is circulating in the
crowd, telling what the Fake Peace looks
like from the inside. 1t is a grinning
Prussian totem, with no single human
organ; jointed with bayonets, fabricated
with blood and tears. No, Mr.. Hertling,
while we have such blazing words as
those Of Doctor Muehlon to rely on we
will confine our patronage to the main
tent where the real show is going on.
For the lore of humanity, and for the
sake of the truth and honor that men
hare died to save, let as not euen IN
curiosity enter Hertiing's side show to
crumine his automatic dove.
Mr. kospoth, special correspondent of
this newspaper in Switzerland has had
the good fortune to interview Doctor
Muehlon, the Krupp director who re-
signed from the gun corporation because
he could not stomach the blind and willful
blood mania of Germany. What Doctor
Muehlon has to say is printed elsewhere
in this issue; it is of the gravest and
most urgent Importance. Not only does
he condemn the cynical ambitions of the
Prussian military cult from out of their
inmost citadel, but he shows plainly why
the Allies must set their faces f1intily
against any peace gas elected by the
unrepentant and unbeaten empire. 1t is
only right to read these new words of
Doctor Muehlon in connection with his
previous statements. We cannot be too
often reminded of his famous letter to
Bethmann- Hollweg on May Z, 1917 Ia
significant anniversary. He then wrote:
Since the first days of 1917 / have aban-
doned all hope as regards the present
directors Of Germany. The ac-
centuation of the submarine war. TIE
deportatons of Belgians the systematic
destruction in France and the torpedoing
OF English hospital ships have so degraded
the governors OF the German empire that
| am profoundly convinced that they are
disqualified forever for the elaboration
and conclusion of silcere and just agree
ment. The German people will
not be able to repair the grievous crimes
committed against the whole human race
until II is represented by different men
with a different mentality.
What we have to face now is Doctor
Muehlon's bitter confession that the
whole German nation is still united in
the frantic energy of madness under the
military leaders who have degraded it in
the eyes of humane men. In spite of
repeated deception and disappointment,
Germany still believes that military vic
tory is within her grasp; and a military
victory that will repair with annexations
and enormous indemnities the bloody
frenzy that has shaken her life and rea-
son. Philip Gibbs has been telling US in
his dispatches from France to this news
paper that German prisoners recently
captured are big men of fine physique,
well nourished and full of spirit. 1t
would be folly to blind ourselves to the
fact that Germany is still outstanding a
blow which may be no less terrific than
the onslaught of last spring.
Yet is is no mere rhapsody to say that
during this critical summer the tide has
definitely changed. At the March equi-
nox the sky seemed black indeed. When
the red moon of September rounds toward
the full we think the Kaiser will feel the
long, steady tug of the downward ebb.
Crooked eclipses gainst his glory fight,
and Time that gave doth now his gift
confound." The PrussiGr philosophy has
indeed raised against itself forces as
deep and as potent as those of the deep
sea tides. When men high IN its otUn evil
caste stand out to cry in bitterness
against the blood nightmare the scroll of
heaven is writ plain for eyes to read.
The Carrion Empire is doomed; the
Caliph of He'll may feel the vast fabric
creak and quiver beneath his feet.
It is not going to be easy; and yet it
may be, as Mr.. Kospoth, predicts, that
the Kaiser's empire will collapse with
the brittle swiftness of a tower of cards.
But we are taking no chances. On every
street, in every home, in the eyes of
every man and woman and in the play of
every child one may see symbols of the
infinite concentration of heart and hand
to the one supreme task. The very earth
beneath our feet seems to throb with this
"stuff of triumph" There can be no
palter and no palaver now that Black and
White are face to face. Germany would
welcome 'sincere" peace proposals, Hert-
ling has just said to the Reichstag She
will find our sincerest proposals in the
neighborhood of Chateau -Thierry. We
are done, once and for all, a0ith the
quachery, the duplicity, the leering mock
cry and brutal tricks of the Berlin blood
n,ongers. Side by side with those who
have seen the truth from the beginning
we are in this to bring peace in the only
possible way: the downfall and abase-