New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-02-23
Defiant Germany

new armistice terms, is proved by the at
tltude OF the conservative papers which
now, as before, oblige the non German
world with their candor in revealing the
real German mind-a candor that
compares most favorably with the
cant of the liberal" press. Thus an
article by Professor Otto Hoetzsch, in
the "Kreuzzeitung," the chief organ of
Prussian junkerdom, makes it clear
that the Germans are far from abandon
ing their schemes in reference to the
Russian East, and that they count on the
inability of the Allies to solve the prob
lens of Russia and Poland for chance
to improve their own situation The ar
tlcle says, in part:
'lf the German people does not want to
commit suicide it must refuse and combat
any connection with the world revolution
madness of the Soviet Republic, which
wants to pull it back into the war. This
requires not only platonic declaration
against Radek but strong military from
tier protection against the Russian Boil
shevists. And that includes everything
that need be said against Poland. The
Polish use of force must and can be met
only by force and upon the basis of the
clear right which speaks for US.
Ihere must be a peaceful settlement, in
which the economic and geographical facts
are taken into account, as we'll as-what the
Poles ought not to forget-the common
interests of Poles and Germans. We
really only need to take our stand; we have
the power and the strength, and by this
decision we should only improve our posi-
ton with the Entente"
Even more significant is the freedom
with which certain newspapers treat the
question of monarchial restoration. One
would imagine that whatever their plans
as to the future the Germans are at
least cured of their zeal for the Hohen
zollern variety of misgovernment But
then one finds paper like the "Ham-
burger Nachrichten," which has not
even the excuse of being regular jun
ker organ, printing a statement by the
we'll known Henry Hohenzollern, for
merly Prince Of Prussia, to the effect
that Germany must reestablish the mon
archy under the old dynasty and put
her economic life on the pre-war basis
In regard to the principle of national
self-determlnation, the Germans continue
to observe the same old unregenerate
Prusslan attitude. The claim of the
Poles to Posen and the Polish districts
OF West Prussia they counter by send
ing practically all their available mill
tary forces to the Eastern frontier, ard
with an endless denunciation in their
press OF what they call Polish brigand-
age and Imperialism. At the same time
they fill the world with their clamor for
a pleblscite in Alsace-L Lorraine, which
provinces they have the stupid effrontery
to call German at heart" Again, &C.
cording to the testimony of the "Vos-
sische Zeitung," violent agitation is
conducted in Schleswg against the claims
OF Denmark to the northern part of that
province. The propagandists assert, in
face of the manifest desire of the Danish
population to be rejoined to Denmark.
from whose body the province was tori
IN 1864, that not only. Holstein and South
Schleswig but even North Schleswig are
historically and officially German ter
ritory."