New-York tribune., 1920-04-11
Prussianism Declared To Be Usiino
"Red'' Menace to Stampede
England and America

cursed it and it's neighbors with the
policy of militarism.
1t is not improbable that the
triumph of real democracy, real
radical democracy, in Germany
would be attended by long period
Of disorder. One can easily imag-
inc conditions under which it would
take number Of years for the men
who are fighting the Prussian
militarists to achieve even a SEM
blance of the industrial and eco
nomic Conference which would indis-
putably follow the complete success
of the reaction. But the success of
a real radical party would carry with
it the doom of the old order, while
the triumph Of the Potsdam gang
would mean a return to all the un-
certainties of 1914.
Allied nations have to decide
which they fear most, economic dis
order for period of years, during
which there is an evolution of Ger
many and a march toward liberal
ideas, or speedy economic reinte-
grafton, purchased by an alliance,
tacit but real, between the Potsdam
gang and it's Western enemies of the
recent war.
A Camoufiagc Government
If the Ebert government, which
remains mere camoufage, is per-
mltted to use the army, commanded
by the old officers and imbued with
the spirit which expressed itself at
Louvain and all over northern
France in 1914, to stifle the revolu-
tion in the west, then we shall see
repetition of the events of 184S,
the total elimination of democratic
elements from Germany and the re-
turn of the regime which was or
ganized by Bismarck on the founda-
tions of Frederick the Great.
The French have chosen to face
the possibilities of economic dis
order rather than put the old arms
in the hands Of their eternal foes.
The French have determined to COM
pei the Germans to disarm, as the
Treaty of Versailles provided. But
the French are handicapped by the
fact that the British, the Americans
and the Italians are willing to accept
at face value the Potsdam plea of
Bolshevist dangers and to permit
German armies to retain their pres
ent strength and even to invade the
aeutralized area adjoining the
Rhine.
AS result the Germans are de-
flying the French, and, as these lines
are written on April a, German
troops are reported within the for
hidden area. The calculation of the
Germans is that the division among
the Allies will paralyze French ac-
ton. Moreover, they hope to take
advantage of the widely dissent
mated libel that French policy is
dominated by militaristic leaders
and by chauvnistic purpose. They
see France alone, and they believe
that France will not dare act alone
or that she will not be permitted to
take such action by her former
allies, who no longer share her views.
10 me it seems as if such an event
would be supreme tragedy. What
1t would mean, exactly, would be
that, deceived by German propa
ganda in the matter of Bolshevism
and concerned with material uues-
tlons, with the possible profits of a
prompt restoration of German ca
pacity for commerce, the Western
n4tions, and Britain and the United
States in particular, would literally
strike hands with their old enemies,
enter into virtual alliance with the
Potsdam crowd for the suppression
of all real liberalism in Germany
and for the ultimate destruction of
France.
Loosed Scourge of Bolshevism
The German loosed the scourge
of Bolshevism upon the world and
he has been making it work for him
ever since. Thanks to Trotzky and
Lenine, who reached Russia through
American and British assistance.
Russia was eliminated from the
war, and Germany obtained a sec
ond chance to win the war in the
West, a chance failed of ripening
into supreme victory only because
of American contribution in blood
and treasure.
When he was actually beaten the
German sought once more to use
the Western fear Of Bolshevism to
cover his own defeat. Over and
over again at Paris the German ar
gument of the danger of Bolsheyisr1