Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1919-01-15
We Are Still At War

Those who look for the establish
similar TO that Of England or the
United States, 10 be brough: about n
Germany at al early date, are IN
danger Of disappointment. We lay
10 claim 70 prophetic foresight. IN
making this statement, nor have W
established al uncensored wireless
communication with any exclusive
source OF information. Certain de-
duc,iocs from the ordinary logic O:
events coupled with certain facts OF
current German affairs form the ba-
sis OF argument. TO wit:
Any thorough-go.ng progressive
change in government must BE-
brough, about partly By the agrees
sive action q popular leaders, but
more largely By process Of educa-
ton necessarily extending over a pc
period Of time. II cannot be otherwise,
for no people, least Of all Germany.
is able to catch and understand q
new idea instantly. and no people will
adopt new system unless they know
something about i. The German
people have been from time immem-
mortal. accustomed to some form Of
: hereditary mouarchical government.
and for the las, 50 years they have
willingly and worshipfuliy lived IN
der absolute pate-raiiStic autocracy.
The consisten, policy Of that auto
cracy was TO prevent the people from
thinking in order TO make and pre-
serve docile. instan, obedience and
slavish alteration as national charac-
teristics. To this end the kaisers
government made the school-books,
owned the teachers, professors and
pastors, dictated the newspapers and
maintained its odiously efficient AMI
omnipresent police force. The sue
cess Of this policy needs no COM
ment Now. is il reasonable TO ex-
pect tina, the whole nation has, in
, two months since the signing Of the
armistice, turned completely from
its Unborn notions and experience Of
the only kind OF government il has
ever known to an understanding Of
and desire for free democratic gov.
ernmento
: The present mad mess in Germany
may be regarded either as the losi-
cal consequences Of lifting the lid Of
: autocracy, or as a combined camol-
fage to cover the real state Of things
and an appeal TO the susceptibilities
of the outside world. III any case il
is not likely 10 produce q stabilize ]
condition Of affairs for il is TOO local
and too vague.
The bits Of information that leak
out here and there are more trust
worthy as an index 70 German
! thought and feeling today than any
+ STUDIED attempts at revolution which
the Socialists may make The re-
turning soldiers Of the Germany ar
my are welcomed home as "unvaa-
pushed heroes" who are for the no
ment hindered in the success Of their
project, but who have by no means
any reason to think Of themselves as
! whipped dogs Sinking home in dis
! grace. Moreover. these troops since
i their return to the fatherland have
manifested an alarming sense Of 10y
atty to the Hohenzollerns who
brought them up from childhood,
trained them for the only business
! they know. and kept them supplied
/ with the necessities Of life at the ex-
pense OF the civilian population.
! The Junker class which is for the
( present lying low still cherishes It's
! dreams Of national aggression and
: expansion. One Of its leading organs
! recently published a strong editorial
q, urging the need Of haste in the peace
! negotiations so that everything ma
| DE settled as much to their advantage
! as possible. They believe they viii
! be able to make much better terms
; now than will be possible after the
! new American Congress comes into
{ power on March next. The Junker
class has no idea Of giving up any
part Of Poland or East Prussia. They
regard the French occupation Of Al
. SAGE and Lorraine as temporary only,
| they will demand the return Of Their
colonies and they hope to get free
hand in industry and trade. No signs
Of repentance, no desire to turn over
new leaf. no ardent advocates If
; democracy are anywhere in evidence
, The old !mperialistic aspirations and
! ways Of thinking are still there
! Another fact which may or may
! not De significant is the presence Ct
! Crown Princess Cecelie AMI i,er chill
dren in Germany. They did not fol-
low Friedrich Wilhelm 10 his inglor!-
| Gus fisherman's island, but actin,
on the advice ct the family council Il
! tie HohenxoIerns. are remaining a: