Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1918-11-02
A PROCESS OF DIsINTEGRATlON
AS the time for settling information.

AS the time for settling international accounts is ap-
preaching, it is but just to recall that the disintegration
going on in what was once the Austro-Hungarian mon
archy is the logical consequence of a crime which was
committed under the auspices of the Hapsburg govern
ment, even though the bidding came from Berlin. In jur-
isprudence it is a pretty generally recognized, doctrine
that not only is the instigator of a crime, but also the
doer Of it, a guilty party who merits stern punishment.
Austria's crime was that she had become the servile
slave OF her stronger neghbor and ally, and that she I'M
mersed her national honor in guntless blood; stopped to
commit crimes on a par with those of her master, and
failed to read the signs of the age to such an extent that
one Of the greatest Of all blunders recorded on the pages
of history must be credited to her statesmen. AS long
as German atrocities in Belgium are to be remembered.
as long will Austrian cupidity toward Serbia remain a
vivid memory in the mind Of man. There is no real dis
tinction between the two crimes, and as Germany must
suffer for what she had done, Austria is now about to
collapse SO as to expiate the sin she committed in sane
tioning some of the grossest and most far-reaching GRIM
inal plumbers known. m~ e
In a very literal sense Austria is now going to
pieces and the red flag Of rebellion and extreme protest
is waving in Vienna while Austrian armies are fleeing
across the wales and hills of northern Italy. Nation after
nation proclaims its independence Of Austria, and even
before the peace conference which is to be held some
day assemblies Austria will have become an irreducible
.minimum-an abhorrent and, at the same time, pathetic
memory; a mere name and nothing else.
Its the law Of life, the law of history. Man can es-
cape from his crimes and from the consequences of his
folly as little as can nations, and there is no reason why
the downfall of a nation like Austria should be in any
manner regretted.
In this country there has been a tendency to j,,oge
Austria on the sentimental ground that she didn't mean
to do it," Maybe not. But the facts are that she Ibid
it" just the same.
Those who mete out the punishment do not take into
consideration whether or not the will to crime was, exist
ent. They simply look at the facts as they have been re-
corded and substantiated. And no matter what may be
the ultimate responsibility of Germany for the outbreak
of the world-war, Austria cannot plead extenuating cir
cumstances. Her statesmen were among the clearest
thinkers of Europe; her princes had generations Of ira
dition to guide them, and her public opinion was as en-
lightened as any on. the continent. Yet she plunged not
only herself. but an entire world into a catastrophe the
like of which has never been seen before.
There should be no cheap sentimentality in dealing
with Austria, and the attitude of General Diaz whose
answer was that of fighting on until immortal victory hae
been won by the Italian arms will serve as a true model
for the final answer which Allied statesmen may soon be
called upon to give to all the whimpering pleas that have
|emanated from Vienna. ~