Evening star., 1918-10-15

autocraey and:a social revolution that,
will bring an emancipated Germany
into the world, he will have saved the
American peoples and the peoples Of
the allied countries much bloodshed
and sacrifice. -"
Nothing short of the. destruction of
compromise nor bargaining on that
point Is intended. But. ina$much as
there are several millions of Germans
who have hated despotism for years,
men like Liebknecht who have gone
TO Jail rather, than tolerate 1t, inaS-
much as the radical movement lis
growing every. day inside: of. Ger
many. Mr.. Wilson has been careful III
his communications to Germany to
encourage so far as he oan the op-
position to kaiserism in the hope that
the Germans themselves may do the
job of Riding themselves OF: the
kaiser. as the. Russians did the :czar
OF continuing the war until they have
accomplished the same end :,
Vengeful Spirit Exists. in q. s.
Undoubtedly a spirit of yengefufness
exists in America which would rather
have punishment of the kaiser left to
an invading army. Certainly If the
kaiser and his crowd are not punished
by the German bolsheviki in methods
brother boIsheviki in that revolutiont
torn country across the border, the al.
lies will be glad to do it.
But SO far as the settlement of this
war is concerned and the establish
ment of just peace, which cannot be
disturbed by playing upon the sentir
ments of the German people for gem
erations to come that they have been
inundated" and must revenge them,
selves against the allies, SO tar es pos
rable peace. one that is calculated to
keep democracy on top in Gersnany
when once 1T gets it's foothold
There already are! differences OF
opinion in the United States ON this
subject. and much denunciatfon of all
sible, but thesPresident's information
is that there are some men In Ger-
many who can be trusted. with the
reins of government, men who con-
demned. the sinking of the Lusitania
as bitterly as did America, only the
censorship never brought It to Amer
lean readers; men who are convinced
that kaiserism and militarism are the
curses OF the age and who Will CO.
operate with the democratic natione
Iof the world to eliminate those can
cerous growths. Only the President
does not feel that he can deal even
with those elements while autocracy
of his third question in the message
|of inquiry" By autocracy he means
'also the German military machine,
(which must be dismantled. Elise the
kaiser might abdicate and he or. one
of his family might return from Elba
to reorganize a Germany made cha
otic by its social revolution. =.
Issue Narrowed to Autocracy.
The President asked his three ques-
the answers to to IL the r first s.sI two as the ne
last, which related to the government
which pretended to speak for the Ger
man people. He waited his oppor-
tunity to show emphatically his dis:
dain Of that government and make il
the big point in his reply. He mar;
rowed the issue to kaiserism-not a
discussion of terms or the WoVisions
of an armistice, though he did not
fail to satisfy military opinion by
making clear that he means exactly
what the military commanders. of. oul
forces meant by guarantees-dtsarrn
ment Of the German military ma
chine as a safeguard against deeep-
ton in the negotia tions. -.
Regardless, of the character. Of. the
government which arises in Germany
even though it be respectable enough
to enter. into peace 'negotia ton, a!
some day it must be, the Presiden
will insist upon the military guarap
tees above mentioned. No othel
course would safeguard the fruits 0,
the allied military supremacy. = :.
AS for the character of Mr.. wilson.
negotiation with Germany at this
time, it Is true that official Washing.
ton dissented at first quite as much a.
did many people throughout the coun.
try. Today there is a, feeling Of salts
faction because the move rs better .ufa
derstood. Americans dislike the W orc
propaganda, but they have urged thai
Germany against the kaiser 8 govern
ment. Millions have been Appropriat t
ed by Congress for that : purpose
Leaflets are dropped by allied aviator'
for that purpose. u.
Great Opportunity Seized. -
Mr.. Wilson seized upon the great
est propaganda opportunity Of the
war. The German. peace Offer. had
been widely printed in Germany. The
people were in a high state. of excite
Mr.. Wilson. calmly asked three aues-
tions so as to elicit three answers. He
now dissects that third answer and
the German people WIFI insist, upor
knowing. what the President said
No censorship can suppress it.. The
reaction in Germany, it is expected
here by. those who are: in touchswitt
conditions In the central powers, is ex
pected at first to be one of scorn, but
! more and more as the people begin tc
understand that the kaiser and his
crew are the sole obstacles to peace
they viii begin to consider ways and
means of getting their, hearts desire
peace and food and a return from
the front Of the men who have been
there through four weary and disap.
pointing years.
Funeral services for Policeman Jo-