The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1918-05-16
An Open Confession

1
in an article reversing its opinion as
to the nation responsible for the war.
1t styles it's editorial Gan Open Con-
| fession" ana in it exonerates Great
Britain from all responsibility for the
war. on the statements made by
Prince Lichnowsky and corroborated
by the admission of Won Jagow and
other German statesmen. The article
says that the crime of starting the
war must rest on the landed and in
dustrial junkers of Germany.
The editorial as it appeared in the
Germania- Herold follows:
at is our duty to make it. We,
too, were among those who laid the
blame for the world war at the
doors of English statesmen. We, too
have time and again repeated the as
sertion to our readers that these
English statesmen, jealous of Ger
many's success in the world markets,
attempted to 'encircle' it. We, too,
have repeatedly stated that Germany
is entitled to a place in the Sun. We
did so in good faith. For we then
believed what the organs Of the Ger
man government proclaimed and we
believed at the beginning Of the war
and years thereafter what most of
the other German papers repeated.
eve were then fully convinced
that the program of English states
men consisted of nothing less than
to stop Germany's commercial and
colonial expansion. With us one
half of the world of the western
hemisphere was convinced through
the press of Germany We believed
in the press of the old fatherland,
which preached hatred against Eng
land everywhere, following its gov
ernmental press, where the German
voice was sounded. As paragon Of
diplomatic baseness, Sir Edward
Grey, the dictator of foreign affairs
for Great Britain, appeared to US.
Now, we and with us the rest of the
world, which then credulously lis
tened, are convinced of the opposite.
We know now that the British states
men and with them the statesmen of
the allies did not only have no war
like measure against Germany in
mind, but to the last minute endeav-
ored to their utmost to avoid the |
war The blame for the bloodshed |
lies with the German government.
"PoHtikcn the organ of the Swe-
dish socialists Of the extreme left,
on March IS published the historical
document by which this guilt is es-
tablishcd 1t was so-called mem
orandum' by Prince Carl Max Won
Lichnowsky, who before and at the
time Of the commencement of the war
was the ambassador for the German |
empire in London. The memorandum |
was written eighteen months before
Il was made public. A publication
II this time was not intended by the |
prince, but upon his instance a num-
Der Of copies thereof were made One |
Of these copies came into the hands |
Of a member Of the socialistic minor |
ity party Of the German reichstag.
The memorandum bears the heading |
My London Mission, 1912 to 1914 |
and is dated at Kuchelna (Lichnows-
ky's summer residence), in August, |
1916 The genuineness of The mem
oraudum is doubted hy no one. |
Prince Lichnowsky himself has by |
his silence admitted it, the German |
government likewise by its action in
keeping the prince a prisoner in his
castle in Siesia since the date of |
the publication Of the memorandum,
and as appears from late cable dis
patches, has now brought the charge |
Of high treason against the prince.
"The proof Of the facts is neces-
sary, it is doubIy necessary to citi-
zens of German descent in America.
This knowledge Of these facts will |
ease the struggle within them which |
some over-came under difficulties
and which others may still be labor
ing under ard who therefore may
still be distressed We do not desire
that citizens of German descent shall
rely blindIy upon our judgment, but
shall Judge for themselves, and to
enable them to do so, we will pub
fish verbatim beginning next Sun
day the memo. nadum: "My London
Mission, 1912 to 1914" Today we
viii simply state that Lichnowsky
compiled the principal facts as to
who caused the war in the three fol-
lowing paragraphs:
!" H. We (and by this I'VE" the
prince means the German govern
menD encouraged Count Berehtold
to attack Serbia, although no Ger
man interests were at stake and the
danger Of a world war known to us.
Whether we knew the text Of the Ill
timatum is entirely inconsequential.
4" 2. In the days between the
BIRD and Goth Of July. 1911. whom