Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1918-01-11
People Of Germany are Under Very
Severe Strain,


Severe Strain.
Political chaos. says an Amster-
dam dispatch. engulfs Berlin. A
gap apparently yawns between the
militarists and the anti-annexation-
lists so wide and so deep that 1t seems
unbridgeable. Late tonight there
were the strongest indications that
the kaiser faces the inescapable
choice between two courses:
Ito authorize q complete back
down by the central powers on the
Russian demand to evacuate all occu-
pied territories, and thus renounce
every vestige Of the ceiled annexation
claim. That would mean, II is re-
ported, the immediate designations Of
Hindenburg and Ludendorff. result
ing in incalculable depression among
the Teuton armies and possible pam
German uprising.
2-To take up the challenge Of the
Socialists and Liberals for a finish
fight on the annexation issue by stand
ing pat on the Brest-Ltovisk peace
terms. That would mean break up Of
the reichstag majority bloc. the re-
union of the whole Socialist party
and a possible rising Of the masses to
force peace.
Tho Kaiser's Crown lmpsrilsd.
In both cases the kaiser's crown
would be gravely imperiled.
There are those, to be sure, who.
knowing the stuff Of which the Ho-
henzollern armor is made, and the
thrusts that have glanced OF on It in
bygone days. smiled skeptically at the
suggestion that the imperial throne Is
one Of the stakes, perhaps the princi-
pal stake, in the political battle now
raging In the empires capital.
But the skepticism was beied by
dispatches upon dispatches from Ber-
lin. telling OF an unflinching deter
mination on the part Of the Socialists,
reinforced by large sections OF the lib
erals, to fight this battle through to a
finish. Vague as they were, after care
full doctoring by the German censor,
these advices showed convincingly
that the empire Is In the throes Of
the gravest crisis In Its history.
Internal Lines Cracked,
Thus, Germanys peace offensive.
which was to have pierced the home
fronts" Of her adversaries. has re-
bounded after Strengthening them.
The recoiI. sped by Lloyd George, has
cracked wide open the empires inter-
nal lines.
Now comes the cable from America
with the full text Of President Will
sons war aims speech. The effect this
momentous utterance. with its direct
challenge to the reichstag majority to
assert itself, will have upon the dtua-
ton In Berlin and at Brest-Ltovsk, Is
beyond estimate,
Certain It Ia, according to the con-
sensus Of observers here, that tho
American executive has placed IN the
hands both Of the German anti.an-
xationists and Of the Russians q for
midable weapon in their supreme
combat with militarism and autocra-
cy.
Where Parties Are Split
The outstanding fact about the SIT.
uation is that the majority Socialist
wing under Philip scheidemann. and
the majority. or radical wing. led BY
Haase who took Liebknechts place
when the latter was Jailed, are for ths
first time since their rupture standins
firmly together. With the majority So-
cialists dropping out Of the reichstas
majority bloc which has solemnly dis.
ayowed annexationist claims, that bloc
falls to pieces, and q realimment OF
parties becomes inevitable.
To political Observer the question