The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1919-11-09
URGED CHANCELLOR TO ACT

restrictions tend 10 SlulllLy AuUANAouNA
effort Opposition was bound to rise,
even when the demands made did no
more than correspond with the iron
necessity of war. Self-seeking and
profit hunting were already firmly
rooted
We had, however. to show the peo-
pie the way to victory, to make them
see the facts clearly and settle their
own destiny. The reichstag. and with
it the whole people, had to share the
responsibility. On October SO, 1916, the
chancellor was especially urged to
secure this end. I hoped that the gov
eminent would be prepared to adopt
the great principle of universal service
and to bring the people to consider
what further strength they could yet
devote to their country.
| 1t required an unselfish understand
! ing on the part of the people to
shake themselves free from the self
seeking of domestic politics. TO devote
| themselves wholly to the war and to
| translate into action the proposals of
] the supreme army command.
WANTED TO DRILL THE PEOPLE
/ The government did not take these
steps. l had still at that time unlim-
tied confidence in the German people
and the German working class. The
war was life and death for US ALL this
should be made clear to the workers.
and then, as l believed. they would be
certain, in their knowledge of the great
danger threatening them and their
| country, to range themselves behind
| the supreme army command and to
give even more than they had already
given.
| The German workman had already
done wonders, but he could still do
more. Just as troops, in the hour Of
peril, are enabled to do their utmost
through patriotism inculcated by disci-
pline, so in a long war the people are
| held together and kept on their feet
| by firm leadership and a clear concep-
ton of the danger threatening their
| country. The enthusiasm of the mo-
| ment passes, that is inevitable: and it
must be replaced by discipline and I'M
! Outstanding. That this could be
achieved I had no doubt
| Even without any new legislation the
| government could help us. The laws
dealing with a state of siege and with
war services gave the necessary powers
! to obtain the labor required but the
| government lacked the necessary de-
termination to apply them properly.
! The administration of these laws,
! however would amount to a mere ap-
| plication of force, from which, on re-
Election. I saw little hope of real sue
cess. I thought that it would be bet
ter to have a law supported by the
! approval of the whole people, one which
would make plain to the whole world
our determination to hold out. This,
too l explained to the chancellor
LAW NOT SWEEPING ENOUGH
At last, after two months delay, and
after much modifying pressure from
i, the supreme army command, the gov
| eminent made up it's mind, in Novem-
/ Der, to introduce into the Reichstag the
| auxiliary service bill, which was
passed December 2. 1t was neither fish
nor fowl and very different from what
we had desired.
The bill departed too far from the
| principle of universal liability to SER
! vice, which we had laid down in Sep
TENDER, and gave no security that the
labor strength obtained would be so
employed as to produce the maximum
| results. In practice the law, largely
| owing to the manner in which it was
| administered, was but a shadow of the
| reality we desired, a reality which
would have devoted the whole strength
| of the nation to the nations service,
and so supplied reinforcements for tho
army and labor for the army and fot
home industries
The provisions did not even cover
women. although there were many
available to replace men at their work
| and release them for the army
In spite of everything, l gave the
| law at first a warm welcome. Friend
and foe alike attributed to it, as sign
| of our determination, far higher value
! than it really possessed. In connection
with our successes in Rumania, it was
I bound to have considerable moral eff
! feet.
| PANIED BY REICHSTAG TALK
| I followed the course of the discus
| sions in the Reichstag with unmixed
| regret. This was the first time in the
war that / had the opportunity, and
| also, in my position as quartermaster
/ general, the duty. to do So The SUI
| preme army command obtained by this
| means an insight into the spirit of the
| population that was of decisive impor
| lance for the issue of the war.
| 1t was certain that the government
| was in a very delicate position in deal
! ing with the difficult labor questions
| 1t should have followed strong war
| policy. instead of weak and submits
| sve domestic policy. Why did it not
boldly and clearly make the whole peo-
pie share the responsibility for the re-
suit of the war?
Certain parties in the Reichstas
seemed unable to realize the necessity
of postponing party interests for the
general good in the hour of peril. The
government, the Reichstag. and great
part of the population had never yet
understood the character of modern
warfare, which lays claim on all ones
resources; nor had they ever realized
| the Importance of ultimate victory of
| their full cooperation in the fight.
The supreme army command had
again and again to emphasize that the
war meant life or death to Germany.
1t soon became clear that the aux
| Hilary service law was not merely in
sufficient, but positively harmful in OPP
| Grafton. IT was particularly irritating
| to the troops to find auxiliary workers
| at the same work and in the same po-
sitions, being far better paid than the
men who had been called up for service
under the previous legislation and were
now-under military command
BITTER FEELING IN ARMY
These grievances were increased by
| the circum stance that exempted men
were paid the same wages as free
workmen. that is to say, as the auxin
ary workers. This was wholly un-
just and unfair.
On the lines of communication there
were still greater contrasts. Troops
| withdrawn from the heavy fighting at
the front saw auxiliary workers and
women workers working in peace and
safety for wages far higher than their
own pay This was bound to embitter
the men who had to risk their lives
day by day and to endure the greatest
hardships, and of necessity increased
their dissatisfaction with their pay. The
employment of highly paid auxiliaries
on the lines of communication was
| W.