New-York tribune., 1920-04-11

machine for Napoleon little more
than century ago.
An Empty Hope
So much for the practical side,
so far as the French are concerned,
but there is an even more important
side. 1t is a matter of common
agreement among thoughtfulmen and
women that the real hope of peace
in the future must rest upon the
assumption that Germany, instead
of pursuing her old pathways, will
renounce her policy Of conquest and
become, in the old phrase, "a good
European" But such a hope is
empty if the old elements remain
in control of Germany. Just as long
as the Ludendorffs are the real mas
ters of German policy we shall have
just the same policy as provoked
the world struggle.
ANOW, uOCS CllOIC CAlSC UIJ JCt1l OR~
position in Germany? Is there any
element, political party, force, which
is hostile to the Prussian system and
honestly fighting it? Yes, there is
Enthusiastically real opposition
which is politically described as the
Independent Socialists. The men of
this party would, if they could, de-
stroy the German military machine,
retire all the military hierarchy and
establish real if radical form Of
democratic government. This is un-
mistakably the enemy, so far as the
Prusslan gang is concerned.
Now, what has happened with re-
spect to this opposition? Obviously
it has at all times been assailed by
the military element. In 1918, when
the first abortivc revolution broke
out, the military crowd seized upon
the worldwide fear of Bolshevism
to conduct campaign of repression
and utmost cruelty. The radicals who
had opposed the Junkers, the Prus-
slams, during the war were ruth
lessly murdered; the real revolution
was suppressed. At the close of the
first revelation the old gang ruled
absolutely, although they hid behind
the manifcstly thin screen of the
majority Socialists who had been
their willing tools throughout the
war.
Plotted to Keep Big Army
Behind this screen, and using the
of Bolshevism, the Prus-
sian crowd successfully sought, not
alone to retain control of the army.
but to prevent the Allies from car
rying out their policy, expressed in
the Treaty Of Versailles, of reducing
the German army to harmlcssncss.
SO long as the Prussians controlled
the army they controlled Germany
and could crush all genuinely demo-
cratic movements within the country.
SO long as the army was not re-
duced, the Junkers could at once
dominate Germany and keep the way
open for the war of revenge which
they began to threaten before the
ink was dry on the armistcc docu-
mcnt.
Now, the French have taken a
clear stand. They say, in sub
stance:
"Wc recognize that the men of
the western industrial districts of
Germany. who took part in the pres
ent upheaval to resist the Kappist
reactonary stroke, arc both honestly
opposed to German militarism and
sincere in their desire to DESTROY it.
But for their resistance the old gang
would have gained control in its
recent attack upon the existing
order. Therefore, such hope as there
IS OF democracy in Germany rests
entirely upon the preservation of
this group. If we permit the Prus
SLAMS, under cover of the Ebert GOV
ernlfcnt, to send troops into the in
dustrial districts of the west to re-
press the revolutionists there, then
the last real opposition to the old
military crowd will disappear. Re
action will have prevailed.
More than this, if we permit the
Prussians TO augment their military
forces, instead of diminishing them.
as the Treaty of Versailles provides.
and it we permit them to send them
troops INTO the neutralized region
OF the Rhine, then VIC at one time
waive two of the most valuable and
most necessary circumstances in the
peace agreement. In word, the
ultimate purpose of any German
army IN the hands Of The Old gang
is fraAkly to reverse the verdict of
the last war, and the reversal must
be sought by an attack upon France.
10 consent to the increase of the
army and to porn'it this army to
cross the neutralized Rhine barrier