New-York tribune., 1918-08-18
Former Director of Krupps' Reveals
Moral Degradation That Has Eaten
Into Every Stratum of Society
in the Fatherland
By Edmond McKenna


ambition, German duplicity
the details Of the many
crimes with which the war was pre-
pared and has been fought, have al
ready been revealed to the world in
the writings of Wilhelm Muehlon,
former director of Krupps' and an
unwilling and disgusted participant
in the councils of the All-Highest.
But much as has been printed of
his revelations, all has not yet been
told. The first complete translation
of his diary, translated by William
l.. Mcpherson and published by
G. P. Putnam's Sons under the
title of "The Vandal of Europe"
gives new proofs of the debasement
of Germany.
In addition to what has previously
been published in this country, the
diary contains many passages in
which DR.. Muehlon dissects and ana
lyzes the very soul of Germany
and finds it as evil as her deeds. He
points out the moral degradation
which lies behind the wrongs she
has done, and brings out proofs of
cruelty, brutality, cowardice, crafti-
ness and utter lack of conscience.
And all this because, though Ger
man and living inside Germany and
depending on the same information
or misinformation that has been fed
to all under the Kaiser's rule, he
was uncorrupted by the visions of
power which have been conjured by
the German rulers to appeal to the
lust and greed of their subjects.
Reveals Very Fibre
Of the Prussian Soul
Thus it has remained for him to
reveal the very fibre of the Prus-
sian soul and the motivation of
Prussian thought and action as it
could not have been attempted by
any one outside the empire.
DR.. Muehlon's book is a personal
diary kept by him during the first
few months of the war. What char
acterizes the revelations of Herr
Muehlon even beyond their truth is
their almost unbelievable sanity,
coming as they do from the raving
vortex of world in the first throes
of its madness.
In making these revelations about
his countrymen DR.. Muehlon has at
the same time revealed himself as
probably "the only European in Ger
many" The book was not written
In any propagandist sense nor for
any possible effect it could have on
war sor peace in the future; it is
confession, not of sins, but of feel
ings and instincts. The entries in
the diary began, "In the first days
of August, 1914" and among them
are found this inconspicuous note:
FROM now on I shall set down
every day, if possible, some COM
ments, and let them stand lust as
they were written Even though oc-
caslon should arise hereafter to
correct them or amplify them, it
seems to me more important to pre-
serve clear image of my current
thoughts, opinions and experiences"
So the work, it seems, was done
for his own sake, to preserve his
own thoughts, opinions and expert
ences. There are very few happen
lngs IN the world during the first
few months of the war on which
Muehlon has not biting opinion to
express. His observations cover
nearly all departments of civil and
military hfe-the invasion of Bel
gium, the debauchery Of business
and Of the press, the denial of Rus
sian atrocities, the deportation of
Belgians and the treatment of pris-
oners, the attempt to debauch states
men and the press in neutral coun-
tries, the Prussian lust for territory.
international law and the conduct
Of authors and artists.
Plumber and the
Omnipotent Bribe
While excoriating the institutions
and the people of his country, he
says, directly and by implication,
many times that he would gladly
testify to the existence of other SEN
timents than those he attributes to
them, if he only could find these
sentiments.
Plumber was the watchword Of
the dominant classes in German ny be-
fore the war, according to Dr..
MuehIon, who because of hi. posi-
t'on as director of krupps' can speak
with authority. and tho bribe the
best way Of advancing ordinary
businsss as we'll a. state policy.
Of some of the German officers
the best recommendation DR.. Much