The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1919-11-24

Italy By FratsiiI rreVss: IN Canafa and
nee belgium. Holland. Russia and the
OF the United States. and aitho tho
right OF voting for tho reichstag. the
great representative body OF the en-
pire. rested on more democratic
basis than that Of many other coun.
tries.
GERMANS READY
TO LISTEN
The enemy propaganda aimed ever
more directly at breaking up tho
unity OF the German empire. and at
separating Germany from her rui.
Ing house. and her dynasties and
governments from their people: this
was revolution pure and simple.
The propagandlsts were clever IN
understanding the effects OF such
Phrases as peace OF understanding,
disarmament after the war"
league OF nations" aad so on. on
the peaceful and unpoiitical German
people. II was only too ready TO
follow. In conscious or unconscious
scifdeception. this attractive but de-
ccptivc phantasm.
In this connection the propagand-
lsts' story that the peace Of the world
had been disturbed by German plan.
OF world dominion. fell, too. on fruit
full soil.
In plain fact, the German govern.
ment In the post Bismarck period had
had no great political aim whatever
beyond the maintenance OF peace.
save perhaps that II aimed n, in.
crcasing the colonial possessions OF
the country. II scarcely thought Of
world politics or policy; II had no
clear conception why II made its way
TO Bagdad
Living as we have done. since
is7o-7i. a life of constant preference
OF the apparent over tn. real. OF judg.
Ing by cxternais. we have no doubt
overestimatcd our own strength. and
thought too little OF the forces that
were working against us We cx.
tended over the world. without hav.
ing firm footing In Europe. After
gaining Aisace-Lorraine. and cssab-
fishing the empire. the German was
satisfied In Europe.
HURT BY
CLUMSY POLITICS
Increase Of eur colonial posses
sions, and the securing Of . better
position In the world by the widening
OF cur markets. had become q necesL
sity for ms. This was. however, only
to be obtained by force.
Our people. on the other hand. aim
cd at an equal place In peaceful com.
petition. Prcoccupicd with business
and political doctrines, IL did not
know that other peoples would find
IL difficult 10 distinguish this peace
full aim from the desire for world
mastery.
The maintenance OF peace was a
great object. Just as we could only
win a war OF defense by attacking. so
we could only keep peace by clear
and strong policy. carried on on we'll
defined principles.
This our politics did not succeed in
doing. II expressed itself unexpect-
ediy. ciumsiIy. The peoples who
were ilidisposed to us took advantage
Of this 10 form n combine against
us; even those who had hitherto been
opposed to one another combined
against us. In other ways we show.
I'd ourselves uncertain and irresolute,
and this. too. brought us no friends.
Many Germans felt grave anxiety
In this position. and gave sharp ex.
preston to their fears in all direc.
tons. In contrast to their govern.
ment. they had far.seeing ideas.
These utterances were, however.
merely those OF private persons, and
had no more importance or meaning
for us than corresponding statements
had In other countries. This habit
OF speaking out was not changed dur
ing the war. The war aims Of the
governments and peoples OF the en-.
tente we're always more far.reachlng
than the dreams OF individual Ger
mans. We know this now TO our cost.
CAME INTO WORLD
TOO SOON
Plans for world dominion demand
a strong national feeling. This. in
spite OF the foundation OF the en-.
pire in 1871, we have never achieved.
CHA bOFfA III
period did nothing TO cultivate It; ON
the contrary, we lost It as we lost
our strength OF will. In our political
thought we have remained too fed.
eral," and have retained too deep in.
ternai political divisions.
We came into the world too soon.
without any national sentiment, and
In our sense Of worid-citixenship, born
Of foreign influences, we have never
found the true level between thinking
and thinking information.
ally, between our domestic and our
external interests.
Contrary 10 the arguments OF the
enemy propaganda. no dream OF
world mastery, no "nationallsm" Of
the German government endangered
the peace before 1914. or have pre-.
vented It's conclusion during the war.
After all, propaganda did not set out
TO tell the truth, but merely 10 break
down the determination and the
fighting spirit Of the German people,
and 10 spread Views that would serve
It's own ends.
At last 1t found the catchword OF
the right Of self-determination." A
problem seemingly based on n most
acceptable truism. but. in truth. not