The Washington herald., 1919-05-24

be hard and painful would be FOR uA
In our position. not only dishonoraoie
but stupid. Favorable alterations IN
the terms may be hoped for only II
Germany shall declare ITS readiness
to accept everything in any way
bearable. to atone for everything for
which atonement can be made. ana
to protest only against measures thar |
will be really unbearable and not |
only harmful to Germany but OF no !
permanent or substantial beneht to
any worthy interest. and injurious to |
the general interests Of humanity.
People Are Angry Now.
Right can be invoked only by one |
who has proved himself just. The |
broad masses of the people, having |
condemned and overturned the old
system of government. were pre-
pared for a hard peace. Now the at
tempt seems to be to lash the people
into anger and desperation by tell
ing them they must labor like slaves
for foreign countries and capitalists.
and that the serfdom will last for
decades. Justice is widely ramifed.
like dynasties and nobility. science
and art. papacy and proletarianism.
II before the war the international
German mining king had done just
as much business in English as in
German coal. no paper treaties could
have checked the rapid progress of
internationalization in this line.
Under the league OF nations unlimit-
ed. uncontrolled and antiquated prac-'l
tees will no longer prevail in the
individual state. 1t will no longer be
true that political and economical
boundaries should be Identical.
II nra and rnal non nr01rna thin ca
useful for mankind only when we'd
ded. the barriers OF the countries in
which these things lie must be opened
in order to make their union pos
sible. That Is an important fact for
labor. regardless OF nationality. quite
as important as for the owners who
get dividends from stocks.
PopuIace Longs for Peace.
The eight-hour day, which all CIV
ilized countries will adopt, will Sc
cure for the worker living wages and
the necessary leisure for health, and !
will protect him against wage-depress- !
ing competition.
The German people are quiet, and |
they long for peace. They know that
Germany must assume all the bur- |
dens 1t can carry. and that Il cannot I
keep on its shoulders more than 1t |
can carry. The noise, the agitation |
and the scolding now heard proceed
from thin layer OF people who are
moved by motives other than those |
which actuate the masses.
The bourgeoisie tremble before
the spectre OF Bo1shevism: the Com
munist fears the conditions OF the
peace will further increase taxes.
Plans are already discussed for a
tax OF so per cent on the highest
incomes and for measures that will
limit opportunities for profits. Then
the champions OF the new national
ism declare that the meetings of
protest will whirl away everything
uncomfortable and remove the dan
gers threatened by revolution. So
cial democracy, ruling in the most
beautiful agreement with the bour-
geoisie. has given the lie to all the
principles proclaimed for genera
tions-
Why CIericaIs Fight Terms.
So the workers are going in
crowds over to the Independents, !
hoping that Nationalism may save |
them from Communism, which, in |
turn. might loosen an avalanche |
that would overwhelm the support |
ers of the old honest markets.
The Independents aim to create a !;
popular impulse which will not ,
much longer tolerate the exercise
of power by the brutal agencies OF
martial law and machine guns.
Another important factor in the |
situation is the Centrum Catholic |
Party. which In Alsace Lorraine, |
Posen. Upper Silesia and West |
Prussia loses many seats in the
Parliaments of Germany and of
Prussia. Therefore 1t does not wish !
to share responsibility for the ac-
ceptance of the peace terms. Ac- !
ceptance would mean new elections. J
which are not wanted even by the |
Liberal Party. which. under its new |
name of Democratic Party. has al /
ready discredited. itself and would |
probably lose half its seats.
Small Men In High Places.
The government would not find to- !
day in the National Assembly a ma
jority for acceptance. 1t fears that il !
the National Assembly were dissolved ;
there would be a great increase of ,
Conservatives and Independent So i
cialists in a newly-elected Reichstag. !
Thus the Scheidemann Ministry, a /
Socialistic Democratic Government in |
appearance only. would no longer be |
possible.
Small provincial journalists. petty j
lawyers. artisans. labor union officials /,
and party secretaries are now summing |
themselves in the glamour of the !
highest state offices. The idea Of dis i
appearing again into the dark is !
frightfuI to them. The National As |
sembly which they support is essen
tally the old Reichstag Party.
These officeholders do not wish any /
popular expression of their entire !
policy but they wish to appeal to the /
people to answer one question. name !
ly: Shall the Versailles treaty be ac-