The Washington herald., 1919-08-05
BY MACMILLAN HARDEN,

BY MAXIMILIAN HARDEN.
Copyright. 1913. by the Press Publishing Co
(the New York World. SPECIAL cable disgNtch
to the World.
Berlin, Aug. -Four days after
peace was signed the minister Dces-
ident Of the German republic sad in
the national assembly: From a
small group whose ideal is the res
toration of an armed empire, pr )u1
Of the number of its bayonets, comes
a cry for revenge. This ideal and
this cry we combat with all oul
force. We must and will work, and
we will turn with repulsion from the
thought of revenge"
Then the foreign minister exclaim-
ed: I'VE wish to show ourselves &c
the world as a peaceful nation. The
sword cannot and must not longer be
the means of German diplomacy. The
activity and the eagerness with which
we wish to begin and to complete the
reconstruction OF devastated western
France shall be our revenge
AS once in Athens were received the
tidings of the victory at Marathon. Sc
in the lands of the allied and asso'
ciated powers ought to be hailed the
reports OF these speeches, for they not
only assure the victory, but they prove
the will for peace.
Distrust will undoubtedly still hiss
that words are. cheap and how could
beaten, disarmed Germany talk other
wise? The Boche is tricky, and now
because he cannot do anything else, he
seeks to gain the worlds confidence
by trickery, masking as a pacifist,
Speeches Show Change.
Who thinks this errs. and his error
may become dangerous for humanity.
and, therefore, for himself. Germany.
unfortunately, spoke differently even
after defeat. Otherwise there would
have been a better treaty and one bet
ter calculated to maintain calm in the
world. The fact that now such minis
terial speeches are possible and that
they gain the applause of the majority
in parliament indicates the beginning
of a. change in German spirit To re-
ioice over this change and to promote
it with friendly heart is recommended
by duty and interest to everyone who
does not wish to annlhilate Germany
and who would collaborate in winning
for it a realization of all the forward
pointing thoughts of humanity.
For five years the militarists yelled
into the ears of the German people;
"Your humiliation is the aim of the
enemy. If you soften for an hour, il
YOU appear tired or hesitant in wag-
ing this most cruel of wars. you will
he lost to your enemies. To be sure
your enemies talk of right and JUS
tice. but behind this cloak off phrases
ludks the greed of gain and a burn
ing wish to break the power of a
long-envied competitor. 1t is a strug'
gle to the death, and you have nc
other choice"
Under pressure of the military cen
sorship such speeches were encour'
aged and circulated. All the voices
of conscience could never be raised
loudly enough to contradict them.
MiIitarists still CIamor.
Since the peace now arranged is
frightfully hard for Germany and
gives to other European countries
colossal increase of power. the Brit
ish Empire alone acquiring territory
equal to the area of the United King
dom, surviving militarists now assert
that their prophecy has proved right,
and Germany's humiliation was the
goal of the war.
This matter needs public clarifica-
ton before it shall be too late.
have never believed that high leader
ship in government could countenance
or desire the humiliation of enemies.
Such a policy would unfurl the war
flag continually, for no nation can be
SO easily intoxicated by its achieve
ments or so deeply embittered as to
regard itself as the measure for all
things.
1t seems the worst folly or madness
to suppose nation could be ami
hilated which had prospered through
four centuries and to which belong
at least S0,OOo.0Oo people; which half q
century ago laboriously fought fol
and obtained the union of its people
with the exception of those in German
Austria, and which in the late wal
gave the most terrible proof of its
virility.
The nearest approach to annihila.
ton might have come " the army
had been shaken to pieces and the
citizenry had become bloodless
from privation. But then the
entente cordiale of humanity and OF
reason would have triumphed in the
camp of our enemies.
Germany Forced Treaty.
The peace treaty was drawn in
its present terms after all largely
because of the lack OF wisdom and
the deceitful course OF those gov
erning in Germany, who felt them
selves under compulsion to act as
they did. Yet now those in in
fluence in the league of nations
should take grateful note of such