Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1919-04-04
(By G.. S. %strandvoid.)

Dispatches and cOrreSpOndenceS
from Germany during the last few
weeks make it clear that a radical
change Of government may be of
the results of the signing OF the peace
treaty. Three possibilities may be
discussed: 1) The continuance of
the Ebert government in a recon-
structed form; .(2)- the return of the
royal parties: or (3) the beginning of
al anarchistic Spartacus regime.
1t has been one of the wonders of
the period since November IL, 1918,
that Herr Ebert has been able to re-
tain active control of affairs in his
as president of the republic organized
at Weimar; the explanation probably
is that he considered it imprudent to
break too violently with the traditions
of the past and unsafe to follow the
teachings Of applied radicalism.
That the peace treaty will destroy
the popularity of any German govern
ment, can be safely taken for granted.
The terms will be such that the
people will accuse their rulers Of
having betrayed them, and it will re-
quire more than usual will power to
convince the rank and file of the ma
ton that whatever terms are to be ac-
cepted are dictated by stern laws Of
necessity. If the Ebert government
has that will power. it may, after
some reorganization, survive the crisis
sure to follow the conclusion Of
peace. ..
Dynastic Ambitions Lingering?
There is, however, the alternative
that h powerful pan-German and
royalist: groups may make an attempt
to regain power. 1t will be compare
lively easy to persuade the people
that the democratic Ebert government
has accepted terms against which it
could have protested effectively, and
as the spirit of unrest and agitation
is very much abroad in Germany just
now, this opposition may encounter
comparatively few difficulties.
1t is recalled that while Wilhelm II
has forever renowned all claims to
the Prussian M the imperial Ger
man thrones, his Oldest son has signed
no such pledge of renunciation. He
is not a particularly pleasing candi-
cause of his intellectual and political
shortcomings, but, in this case the
tradition Of the dynasty counts for
more than the personality of the in"
d%ividual. Although it seems ex-
trernely unlikely, there is still the pos
sibility that a royalist movement,
sustained by popular dissatisfaction
WIFI Lne present may De
carried through successfully.
To what extent it is true hat some
of the Entente powers prefer to see
a royalist government in Berlin rather
than a republican. we have no means
Of knowing on this side Of the At
lantic; it has. at least. been intimated
that England, for instance, is not
greatly anxious to have a German re-
public made permanent, and attend
ing circumstances seem to show that
this supposed desire is not based
back stairs of European chancellories.
Spartacides May Rule.
There is. finally, the probability of
the Spartacides assuming control of
the German government. 1t is known
that their opposition to the Ebert
government and to royalist aspirations
is gaining ground every day, and al
though 1t looked as though the crest
Of the movement was reached just
about the time when DR.. Karl Lieb-
knecht was murdered, reports are to
the effect that new vigor is being in
fused into the party.
The Spartacide propaganda is moth
ing blu Bolshevism transplanted to
Germany, and, judging from the spas
modic exhibitions Of it on German
soil it bids fair. If adopted generally,
to work more all-around destruction
than has been possible even in Russia,
In this connection 1t is interesting
to note a change of mind on the part
Of n of the. fathers of Bolshevism,
Nikolai Lenine, who last week e n a
message to the new soviet in Hungary
warning 1t against following the Rus
sian example:
lowing to peculiar circumstances"
he said, IT am quite certain it would
be a mistake forsthe Hungarian reyo-
luton to initiate our Russian tactics
in detail, I must warn you against
this mistake" oN
Peculiar Circumstances"
Coming from a man of Lenine's
calber, the words have a queer sig
~nincance, n they prompt the ques-