Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1918-11-15
Friday, Novemes- IS, 1919.
Go Slowly.

We have celebrated the Day" for
v hich we have been waiting since
1914. In countless cities and towns
all over the United States 1t was
celebrated even before IL came. and
the Boston and New York papers
wrote elaborate editorials explaining
the psychology Of those premature
festivities that kept UP after the news
was known TO be false.
Their psychology was sound. II IL
true that "a man will readily believe
what he wants to believe, and
therein lies one Of the great dangers
In hastily returning to peace conoi-
tions In dealing with a serpent as
deadly, as treacherous, and as IN
s!diously cunning as Germany has
proved herself TO be-and here we
make no distinction between the peo-
PIC ana their imperial government
II is the utmost folly to assume that
q complete change Of heart has
taken place overnight. and 70 expect
~. serpent TO exhibit gentleness,
fairness or honesty. The Germans
Loyalty stood by their war lord While
hc WIS winning. and urged him to do
things AT which even his craven ma
tGr. hcsitatcd we have been told.
They carried out with Zest all looting
orders which they received and
revelled In orgies Of crime too revolt
Ing 10 mention. Never a word OF re-
pentance has come from them. nor
the faintest suggestion of making
amends in order TO win back the
worlds respect.
ON the other hand Sol5 with con-
sInImate insolence, writes a note to
President Wilson whining for bread
and another note snivelling for a
hurry up peace conference so that
Germany can get on her feet again,
and tomorrow there viii be another
note asking for more mercy.
The Germans are careful students
~ psychology and they will again
trade on the decency and sympathy
oi the world as they have done be-
fore. Such secretive. insinuating tao
tics appeal TO the deyilish natures
that have become hereditary by Guilt
yation. and they will work the
scheme for all there is in it.
We are in constant danger of fof-
getting that "armistice" means sim
ply a truce. a cessation Of hostilities
that later may be resumed. II GER
tainly seems that the terms imposed
on Germany are crushing enough to
prevent any recurrence OF lighting.
but for four years she kept doing the
impossible and she may attempt II
again.
The Germans are "A proud people,
accustomed to victory, and they have
already shown themselves TO be poor
losers. They have been obliged to
accept military defeat, but they will
put up the stiffest kind Of resistance
10 economic defeat, which is to them
"A matter Of even greater concern.
A. J. Sack. director Of the Russian in
formation bureau In the United
states, writing on the need Of as
sistsnce 10 Russia says this:
what must be taken into considera-
ton by Russia $ allies is the great pos-
sIbtlity that should Russia be forced 10
pun through the intoler2ble sufferings
of the coming winter without consider
able help from the outside the Russian
people may become infected by fnlsan-
throplc feelings. TIL now unknown to
th' RUSSIAN nature. and become to a
great degree 8nti-Ally and anti-Amerl-
can,
These feelings Will indeed be used by
'swfmany which, under no circum-
Stances, viii part with her dreams
ABOUT economic domination in Russia
MOTE than this being defeated In her
ambitions for world domination being
almost Isolated from the west. Germany
Will turn again to the east, and the de-
mocfattlatlon Of her regime will ONLY
add new possibilities and new yigor TO
her penetration In Russia.
OF course our soldier boys want to
get home. and OF course the English.
Canadian and Australian boys want
10 get home, but there must be no
Capitalization OF Allied forces until
we are sure the world is safe for
democracy. II is not safe while the
Hohenzollern family is left practically
at large. while Hindenburg commands
the German army. and while Boil
shevik outbreaks are occurring all
over Europe. Technically the latter
may he none OF our business as the
world war was technically none OF
our business. but we must have
learned by this time that whatever
affects one nation affects all The
very detachment OF the United States
and England and her dominions from
the European continent is in our
favor and the Anglo Saxon peoples
must at all costs preserve their san
ity. We have sworn TO see this
thing through and we mast keep our
word. remembering mercy but
eschewing sentimental tommyrot.