New-York tribune., 1920-03-15
Prussia's Challenge

"How German the German revolu-
tion is!' wrote Rosa Luxembourg in
one of the early numbers of the
Spartacide newspaper "Die Fahne." ."
She was speaking of the revolution
of November, 1918. That was a
revolution only in form, she said, be-
cause the old Social Democratic
party, the party Of Ebert and
Scheidemann, never had any real
faith either in revolution or in de-
mocracy.
She and Liebknecht discovered in
the Spartacide revolt Of January,
1919, that their effort to establish a
Russian soviet terrorism was also
only a German imitation. After
they were murdered by the staff of
General Hofmann's cavalry division
of the guard 100000 Berlin prole-
tarians escorted their coffins to the
cemetery. But Berlin remained
tranquil, overawed by Noske's guards
and the reactionary elements in the
old army.
Now the Ebert government, tol-
Grated by the Royalist and Conserva
tive groups and hated by the prole-
tariat, has passed away in blood
less counter revolution. Berlin,
center of radicalism and ultra social
ism, submits without blow to
coup d'etat which points toward
Hohenzollern restoration. The Prus-
sian populace has apparently no
stomach for genuine revolutionary
methods. 1t distrusts itself and
docilely accepts a regime thrust upon
it from above-whether that regime
be the sham democracy of the Major
ity Socialists or the military autoc-
racy aimed at by the Fatherland
party, the Junkers and the ex-army
cheftains.
Ebert's fall was only a matter of
time, for the real power behind his
administration was the old bu-
reaucracy, which had saved him by
checking the Spartacide revolt, and
which thought it prudent to retain
him in office until the Allies should
disclose their policy with regard to
the enforcement of the peace treaty
Ebert pleaded for relaxation Of
the article requiring the delivery of
the German war criminals. The AL
lied Supreme Council granted his re-
quest, in the hope of strengthening
his position. But no sooner did the
military leaders see themselves freed
from the peril of trial before Allied
tribunals than they dropped the
mask and overturned the republic.
A government which says that it
expects to fulfill only those con-
ditions of the peace treaty which are
reasonable and not self destructive"
will find much sympathy in Ger
many, which is still unrepentant and
firmly convinced that the peace Of
Versailles is peace Of injustice and
spoliation. Germany would prob
ably be glad to accept any form Of
government under which there was
a hope Of breaking the treaty.
Yet the inspiration of the counter
revolution in Berlin is wholly Prus-
sian. The southern German states
and the Rhine districts detest Prus-
slanism, and may be led to oppose
the present monarchical reaction as
a means of throwing Off the old
Frusslan domination. II such an
attitude develops, the Allies can use
1t effectively to neutralize the threat
involved in the restoration of an i'm
perlalistlc and bitterly hostile re-
g'me in the diminished kingdom Of
Prussia.
Inc counter-revolution in Berlin
IS a challenge to the treaty, but prob
ably rash and misguided one II
shows Prussia in her true light. It
also calls for a reconstruction Of the
armed alliance against GERMANY an
which any practical expectation Of
enforcing the treaty rests.