The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1919-11-21


perisl chancellor. and discussed the
problems which they raised for the
country. We called upon him to CO.
operate in prosecuting the war, and
were buoyed up with hope in spite
of the menacing aspect of the situa-
ton.
The government had welcomed our
appointment to the supreme command.
We met them with frank confidence.
Soon. however. two schools OF thought.
represented by their views and ours,
began to come into conflict. This di-
vergence of view was a great disap-
pointment to us and vastly increased
our burden.
LLOYD GEORGE BETTER MASTER
In Berlin thew were unable to accept
our opinion as to the necessity of Ger
tain war measures or to steel their
Wills to the point of magnetizing the
whole nation and directing its life
and thought to the single idea of war
and victory. The great democracies
of the entente achieved this.
With an iron viii Gambetta in 1870
II. and Clemenceau and Lloyd George
in this war enrolled their peoples in
ment failed to recognize this inflexiole
purpose. and the definite intention of
the entente to destroy us, They should
never have doubted 1t.
Instead of concentrating all our re-
sources and using them to the utmost
in order TO achieve peace on the bat
tlefield. as the very nature OF war de-
mands. the authorities in Berlin fol-
lowed a different path; they talke
and understanding, without giving our
| own people a strong warlike impetus
at the same time.
In Berlin they believed or deceived
| themselves into believing, that the
hostile nations were longing to hear
words of reconciliation and would
urge their governments toward peace.
| So little did they understand the mind
of our enemies. both people and gov
ernments. their strong national feel
| ing and unbending will.
Berlin had learned nothing from
history. They only felt their own i'm
| potence in face of the enemys spirit;
| they lost the hope of victory. and
drifted. The desire for peace became
stronger than the will to fight for vic
tory. The road to peace was blocked
| by the will of the enemy. whose aim
was our destruction; in seeking 1t the
government neglected to lead the ma
| ton by the hard road to victory.
Reichstag and people found them
selves without that strong lead which,
generally speaking, they longed for,
1 ana SilQ WIN Ihe government QOW ii
the slippery way. The tremendous
questions arising out of the war were
| more and more thrust on one side. for
peoples minds were occupied with
questions of internal politics and
thoughts of self This mean the ruin
| of our country.
| General heaquarters urged the view
| that it would be time enough for US
| to lay down our arms and think about
| UNDERSTANDINGS when human nature
| had undergone a change; otherwise
| 1--we were bound to suffer. The palm
of peace is no defence against the
sword. AS long as human beings, and
| above all our enemies. remained the
/ same as mankind has ever been, Ger
| many. and in any event the field mar
| shal and 7, as the responsible military
commanders. must retain our hold OF
| the sword and keep 1t sharp.
1t was, therefore, our serious duty
| in dealing with the government, to
| insist on the necessary war measures
being carried out. and to try and in
| fuse into them that degree of deter
mination which we thought was re-
|