Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1918-04-16
The Huns and Their Government.

If it is true, argues the Columbus Enquirer-Sun,
that no government is better than the people who
make it. is II not true also that no government is
worse than the people who make it? Then what
can be the worlds opinion concerning the people
OF Germany other than that they are in thorough
harmony and sympathy with the government to
which they SUBMIT"
4 Americans have been forced TO this reluctant
conclusion. at first could not conceive OF an
tire nations being guilty of the crimes which Ger
many committed. They were the deeds of the
lords, reasoned; the designs of few soulless
autocrats whose black bidding the army obeyed
the Huns have driven from that tolerant point
% view. They have demonstrated that they
not much the victims OF their government
that their government is logical result, appro
pirate expression of their own character.
It is answer to say that for generations they
have been schooled in submission to autocracy. The
very fact that they have brooked their tyrants and
Rugged their Medieval despotism, despising the
free peoples who were working out the noble
pertinent of democracy. shows that the Huns are
more to be censured than pitied for their heinous
government The HohenZollerns more could
have kept democracy out of Germany. than the
Bourbons could have kept it out of France, if the
hearts Of the German people had been responsive
Il the great word-moving spirit of democracy. Ev-
ely nation but one has been quickened by that
Spirit China, japan. Russia. even the Turks have
felt the STRINGS however vague, of impulse to
ffee government. On every side, from every cor
ner of the world the people of Germany have had
EXAMPLES and incentives to democracy. But they
right of kings and devout worshipers Of Prus-
sFnism. They alone among nations have shut their
windows against the great light of human liberty.
Some amongst them, it is true. have been glo-
rlous rebels. Schiller and Wagner and Beet
hoven were. But the rank and file have been up
hbders Of the Hohenzollerns and of the principles
for which the HohenZollerns stand The So
cialists, II is true the most numerous single
party in the Reichstag- But the German Social
lists, even in their most radical moods. are apt
pupils OF the divine right school. It is their
Elsh and purpose to dominate Socialism through
ott the world. and through GeTman-made Social
ism TO rule the rest Of mankind. This striking
u illustrated in Germanys dealings with Russia.
!. ne deluded Bolsheviki counted confidently upon
infusing the German army and German people with
the spirit OF the Petrograd revolution. But in the
actual result, Russian radicalism, without making
any impression on the German masses. was itself
betrayed and shackled by German guile while the
fairest OF Russian provinces were added 10 the
Eaiser's spoils And from the beginning to the end
% this brutal robbery, the German Socialists look
ed unprOtestingly on; indeed, they were really
parties to the sordid crime
The opinion has been expressed that IL the
war were to cease today. thus relieving the out
vOuld undergo a sweeping and puTging revolu-
tion Some sort of revolution there might be;
at the sort that is needed 10 cleanse the German
s1ul OF tyranny and arrogance and greed and the
tie other "perlous stuff which has made possible
The Kaiser and his black adventures, that revolu-
tfnn will not come until German mtarism has
been beaten TO dust and all its gttering promises
moved TO be lies. When that good day arrives
tue redemption Of the German nation will begin.
De enemies TO the worlds freedom and peace Those
reopIe having followed their rulers through war
after war of aggrandzemept. winning magnificent
booty and waxing continually more powerful, will
net abandon that course long it continues
raohtable. Consider the path Germany has trod
- her present power. The unprovoked against
1enmark ncsr the middle of the last century. gave
Prussia the provinces Of Schleswg-H and an
Invaluable base the Baltic. Two years later
Russia. with little prOvOcatiOn before. fell
ubon Austria and brought her into submission
Four years OF busy preparation. and the national
bandit was r-=adv for another raid. This time
France rhe victim and Alsace-Lorraine to-
gether with 81 enormous money indemnity were
tie SPOTS. Esrould the present war end now, her
Russian conquests alone. to say nothing Of Bel
GUM and northern France. would make Germany
incomps rably richer and more powerful and would
bind her firmly than ever to the militarism
which brought this vast treasure home
Not until the German people are made to realize
that Prussianism is unDrOhtabe. disastrousIy un-
profitable will they be ready to abandon Il and sub
scribe in deed and truth to the PRINCIPLES of law
keeping. Iiberty-lovinE nations The German peo-
pie and German miiitarism Of mind. The
only way to divorce them IS destroy that militar-
ism on the field of battle. Otherwise. we shall
cad this war merely to prepare for another and
more terrible one
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