New-York tribune., 1919-01-23
A Prussian Soul on View
By Stanley Frost

NTASHINGTON. Jan. 90, Take from the
w army Of Frederick the Great a Pomc-
ranian rrcnadcr make him a professor,
with a supple adroit and agile mind give
him ideaism, stubborn honesty and that
flaming zeal that comes from conviction OF
inner light and abiding faith, but keep him
stilla Prussian. Such is Edmund Won
Mach, one time of Harvard's faculty.
The mans presence is as striking as his
personality. Above six feet, angular almost
to gauntness with d sweep of blazing hair
and brist!c of even redder beard, with
mild blue eyes that suddenly spring alight
behind his spcctac!es and voice that can
almost run the gamut of the cello, he car
res himself like a conqueror, daring all
things and defying censurc. He seems Don
QuiXote, Prussanized and modern.
Only such a man could have come to
Washington to convert the Senator'S who
have been uncovcring the German Reptiles
trail in America. Only such one, two
years ago, could have come to the capital,
after the official German agents had fed
and their spawn had sought cover, to at
tempt single handed to prevent war, and
have written, four days before Congress
Prussianism could not have a better
apostle. His honesty and high ideals make
him man to win and hold confidence. His
pride in kutur has chldlikc naIvote
which makes one doubt whether a thing that
has inspired in such man so fine faith
can be the bcstial devil we have seem
Won Mach came. ostensibly, to defend
himself. but the fire of his mission to the
hoathen Senator'S and to the nation behind
them shonc through every word and action
SO he gave, in perfect form, the picture
Of the German of to-day after the agony
Of four years war and the humiliation of
defeat and of world condemnation. And
this is the picture of the Best German Of
To-day:
He has no apology to make for his work
for the German cause.
He considers the invasion of Belgium "a
mistake" But asked if he can say nothing
more he replies "If should answer that
question right off, without any qualification
| would get myself out of momentalily
difficult position, and you Senators would
probably be more friendly to me. But it
would not represent the whole truth To
my mind the whole war game which has
been played in the world has been so
wicked that everybody who takes part in
that national game, who starts it in any
way, deserves 50 much condemnation that
to pick out any particular part of it is
perfectly ridiculous"
He does not believe that the Germans
have committed more Atrocities than are
the part Of every war He admits that
he would not repeat to-day his statement
that the Germans in Belgium were no worse
than the Americans in the Philippines and
he is earnestly awaiting official dictum
from the American government. But pend
ing that, he does not believe. 1t is ques-
tion, he says, that easily wait
He believes that the British are reaponsj-
bic for tho submarine warfare
He regrets the dropping of bombs on
women and children. "When first heard
OF that" he declares, 81 was stunned.
felt that the German people had changed
from the kindly folk used to know" And
again THE purpose of dropping bombs on
peaceful Sunday people is something that
Is entirely beyond me. And if | had be-
leved that | should never have wrjttcn
one word or raised my voice ever" Rut
though he could not remember that Dr.
Albert had ever, given the explanation for
which he asked, both pen and voice con
tinued busy. AS "a matter of fact it was
shown that Or. Albert had given him the