New-York tribune., 1920-03-16
The German Revolution
By Franz HaSi,n,onds MOI,

| Dy 1IuIHC
Recent events in Berlin supply the
final demonstration Of the consequences
of full year Of Allied incoherence,
weakness and blindness. A little more
than a century ago Napoleon from
Elba saw the Vienna Congress degen-
crate into group Of duarreling ma
tions, saw the unity which had brought
ruin to his schemes disappear, saw tho
restored Bourbon monarchy lose all re-
spect at home and become contempt.
iblc abroad. Seeing these things, Ma
poleon returned to France
Unhappily for the great Emperor, his
return came too soon. Had he waited
few months more not impossibly he
would havo found no real obstacle in
his pathway, and he might even have OBJ
tanned allies from the ranks of his
enemies. To-day the first question one
must ask is whether tho German re-
action has como too soon. 1t is not
case of the return of an emperor-the
old system, not the old figurehead, has
reasserted control. So far, the situation
in March, 1920, differs radically from
that of the Napoleonic era.
But on all other sides the parallel
Is striking. The Ebert government is
as unpopular as was that Of Louis
XVIII. 1t has been equally impotent
in the face of foreign politics which
must. seem to the German, until very
recently master Of Europe, aggressions
and intolerable abuses. 1t has failed to
restore prosperity at home, to enforce
respect abroad. 1t has been unable to
transform the defeat Of the "old gang"
into victory by it's peace negotiations
with the Allies.
German Menace Revived
A single hope now exists for the
non-Prussan world. 1t may be that,
like Napoleon, the Junkers have struck
too soon. 1t may be that the return
of the militaristic control in Germany
will serve to restore the alliance which
has disintcgrated in recent months 1t
may be that the British and American
leaders, preceiving that they were
wrong and the French right in their
estimate of the European situation, will
now take tho steps necessary to break
the German menace once for all.
But every American must recognize
that the victory Of 1918 is now placed
in utmost jeopardy. The men who to-
day control Germany are the men who
made the war; they are the exponents
Of that policy of ruthlessness expressed
in the submarine campaign and in the
invasion of Belgium. Unless they are
decisively beaten, unless their control
of Germany is broken, then, in fact,
the Allied nations will have broken
faith with their own dead and their
soldiers will have died in vain.
Prussianisn, the Issue
A vigorous policy on the Rhine can
restore the situation; prompt demon
stration that the Allies stand to-
gether still on the issue of Prussian-
ism may give courage to the anti
Junker element in Germany. A de-
feat for the Junkers may prove as dis
astrous to their cause in Germany as
Waterloo was to that Of Napoleon. Only
success can justify the "old gang"
who will hereafter bear the responsi
bility for the loss of the World War,
unless there is reversal of the deci-
sion of that struggle now.
But if the British, the French, the.
Italians and the Americans remain d.
vided, if questions of policy, mistaken
humanltarianism, confusions of pur-
pose, continue, then the Germans will
OF certainty accept their old masters
with the familiar Teuton docility, then
resistance to the terms of the Treaty
of Versailles will be inevitable, and
alliance between Russia and Germany
only one of the many evil probabili-
ties.
The explanation of French militarism
is now disclosed in the fact that the
French estimate of the German situa-
ton was correct and the French demand
for the maintenance Of the Rhine bar
AASA DcoCO upOI all uCCuEdtc appraisal or
future probabilities. Not less justified
is the French view of the Polish situa-
ton. On the French and on the Poles
will now devolve the main burden of
I'regaining the ground lost by British
and American mistakes in recent months.
Where Responsibility Lies
Responsibility for the present affair
must be equally shared by the Amefi-
cans and by the British, who have re-
fused to recognize the truth as it ex-
listed, sought selfish ends of their own,
closed their eyes to unpalatable facts,
contributed to damage the prestige of
the whole alliance, and made difficult
the position Of France, face to face with
the German menace and justly and cor
rectly alarmed at the course of her
allies.
On the military side the German
revolution may have no real dangers
if Britain and the United States are
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