Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-07-01
THE GERMAN ATTITUDE
TOWARD THE TREATY
It Can Better Be Discovered by Studying
the Remarks Of the Moderates
Than Of the Extremists

the Remarks Of the Moderates
Than Of the Extremists
NO THEORY about what Germany will
do now that her representatives have
signed the treaty can be formed from the
comments in the radical press. The cX-
trcme radicals in Germany, as well as in
France and the United States, are moving
about in little oddics on the edge of the
main current Of events. The stream
flows on needless of the eddies.
So when Berlin newspaper speaks
about nursing revenge and preparing for
rcprisal it is Of no greater significance
than when the radical Socialist news
papers of Paris dcnounce the treaty for
its ruthlessness or when the Bolshevist
wecklies of the United States say that
the terms of the treaty can never be en-
forced.
The comment of DR.. Bernhard Dern-
burg and men like him must be studied
if one wishes to discover how Germany is
facing the future. Doctor Dernburg says
that "theranis no sense in continuing the
controversy; it is better quickly to find
our feet" He says further that the con-
CeSsions made are not without their value
and open the way to certain alleviationS.
One has only to consider this point Of
view in connection with the reported
preparations Of the German National
Assembly for carrying the financial bur
dens of the future to discover what the
responsible men in the country are think
ing and planning. German efficiency in
material affairs has not been destroyed
by the war. That efficiency will be
directed now to the work of rehabilita-
ton.
The government is preparing to raise
enormous sums to meet the treaty pay
ments. These sums are put at a maxi
mum of 500. 500, 100000 to be raised by
the "confiscation" of wealth. But it is
not upon accumulated wealth alone that
the burden IS to rest. Not only is it
planned to take virtually all of the war
profits, but heavy taxes are to be levied
upon small incomes, increasing in rate
as the incomes increase in size. No Ger
man is to escape his share of the cost of
the national adventure in world conquest.
The justice Of this course is clear No
German deludCs himself with the thought
that the former kaiser and the iunker
class were alone responsible for the war
Every German is aware that he supported
his government by contributing his
money or by carrying a gun or by work
ing in a muniton factory or by provid-
ing food for the civilians and the army.
The average German is not denOunc-
ing the former kaiser. if he denounces
him at all, because the kaiser entered on
the war. He dcnounces him because he
failed in what he undertook.
If Germany had been victorious every
mothers son from the Nosges to the
Polish marshes would have sung a song
of triumph in which he would have gIori-
fed not only the fatherland, but the Ger
man race. Every German knows that
when the kaiser fell Germany fell with
him.
Yet one need not be surprised at any
attempt to protect the kaiser from pun
! ishmcnt. Won Bethmann- Holweg's as
sertiOn that he and not the kaiser was the
| responsible power in Germany and must
| be tried for any offenses is a specious
| plea which it is doubtful if Hollweg him
self regards seriously He knows as well
! as any one that under the German sys-
| tenn the chancellor was not responsible
| minister. He was merely the agent of
the kaiser, appointed and removed at
will. The German parliament could not
make or break him so long as the kaiser
chose to act through him.
| Hollweg's plea comes too late anyway.
for the peace treaty accuses the kaiser
! h,r Of "a,
international morality and the sanctity
Of treaties" and provides for a special
, tribunal to try him. This treaty has been
signed and Hollweg waited until the sig
natures We're dry before he interposed.
! He had made arrangements for it in ad-
vance by issuing weeks ago long state
ment in which he asserted his own inno-
cence as well as the innocence of Ger
many, laying the blame for the war else
where. His letter to Premier Clemen-
ceau thus becomes farcical, for, taken in
connection with what had preceded, it is
a request that he be tried for an offense
which he has insisted is no offense in
place Of the man whom the world ac-
cuses, but who, he insists, is innocent
because he had no authority to do any.
thing.
1t is incOnceivable that the former
chancellor can think that his request will
be seriously considered. He doubtless
made it for its effect upon the royalist
party at home in the confident hope thai
it might serve as an anchor to windwarC
for him in case of possible monarchica
uprisings.
Speculation about the nature of the
punishment for the kaiser is premature
and the suggestion that the Allies will
ask the Netherlands Government to keeT
careful watch over its unwelcome CUES
lest he escape "the moral Consequences
of his acts does not seem to be based or
anything more substantial than mer,
irresponsible gossip.
The kaiser has been deltsetAteI!