Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1919-05-28
Tumult and Shouting

= IGANTIC demonstrations are taking place
~ In Germany for and against the signing
OF the treaty OF peace. Berlin's streets have
been thronged for days with excited multi
tudes. Hundreds Of thousands OF men and
women are clamoring for this or that or the
other While there is always the protest in
one quarter, there is the demand in the other
that the government accept the terms offered
and bring the heartless war to an end
1t is quite evident even now that the Ebert
government, having committed itself to
reputation OF the treaty, must 60 into the
discard IT plainly has sacrificed itself, and
the sooner it gives its formal answer the
better it will be for all concerned. Once
Germany is told that the peace has been re-
jected and the allied powers are tightening
their grip on the throat Of the nation there
will BIO revolution in Germany 1t will
sweep all before it. The Ebert-Scheideman
regime will be cast out. A new government
Will be formed, pledged TO reopening OF
the peace proceedings and to the acceptance
OF the terms which the allies offer
This seems to be the course affairs in Ger
many can take. Every reliable report that
comes either from Berlin or Paris supports
that idea. The Ebert government blundered
mlserably when 1t took its stand openly
against the treaty. The Germans responsible
for that misjudgment are the same that led
Germany into many other fatal mistakes
Ihere is Bernhard Dernburg. There is Johann
Won Bernstorf, and there are others Of the
old Prussian Junker system debating the
utterances OF the puppets at Versailles or sit
ting in the conferences at Spa.
IL the outside world imagined that the old
imperial outfit in Germany was done for that
WITH the abdication OF the Kaiser the mill
tarlsts were prescribed, the Prussian group
mad been cast into outer darkness and a new
order had been set up in the old pire, then
the outside world was badly fooled The
same leaders and the same minds that CEN
tered about the throne Of William H. still fix
German policies and still seem bent on a
program which will complete the destruction
or the nation, unless they are thrown out.
1t Ia obvious from all accounts that the
plain people Of Germany want peace. and
want 1t at the allies price or at any price
lhey nave suffered enough. They have
buried enough of their starved children They
haVe mourned enough for their fallen men.
they have been denied the right and oppor-
tunity to live and thrive as long as they want
me government that tells them now that
war ID TO be renewed; that food is to be taken
away from them, enemy troops are to occupy
the remainder Of their territory, and the
peace which they must ultimately take will
De more drastic even than that which is now
oHered them-such government cannot hone
70 survive the rage which it will arouse.
Inc only surprise in the present situation
Is that the Junkers, now masuueradinr IA
democrats, do not understand the fate they
are inviting, and do not find means OF iusti-
lying the acceptance OF the treaty instead OF
trying to convince Germany that tho treaty
should be rejected. They must know. if
their minds are working at ALL that in the
end Germany must submit and that if put
10 1t, its enemies will impose heavier burdens
on that nation than are now protosed