Evening star., 1920-01-18
RY FRANK ". stMONDs.


and many and varying answers have
been given. On the whole. Americans
have tended to argue that German
militia rism had been crushed, while
Europe and particularly France. has
skepticai.
Perhaps the most illuminating
document tha. has yet been submit
ted exists in the form OF letter
written by Matthias Erzberser the
leader cf the German center party,
and the man who signed the armis-
tice for Germany. This letter was
written six months after that armis-
tice had been signed, in the later
ference was reaching the end OF its
labors 1t was sent by Erzberser to
many prominent Germans and SUP
plies an amazing and authentic evil
dence of the state OF the German
mind at that moment.
This letter has never before been
published and no further introduce
ton is necessary than to point cut
that the man who wrote it as carly
as the summer of 1917 proclaimed
himself champion of peace, taxing
a prominent part in that ':er'nan
peace demonstration in the "eichs;as
out Of which was evolved the for
:ndemnities" that his words and
his course We're hailed in entente
countries. and particularly in the
United States. as evidence of
change of heart on the part Of Ger
many. Remembering, then. that Err
berger had identified himself as /
liberal" German, the letter which
follows will naturally suggest an in
oury as to what the true Prussila
militarist thought and thinks;
Political Position Improved.
a. The world political position of
Germany has greatly improved since
the armistice. Six months ago we
were faced by firm public opinion
on the side of our enemies. Now has
happened. as was inevitable. that the
various elements of the entente are
working for their individual inter-
ests at the peace conference. The
strength of union among the entente
has long since disappeared. England
and America have driven US as COM
petitors from the worlds markets and
have no special interest to injure US
further. France. in order not to lose
ner place as a great power. seeks to
strengthen it at our cost. Neverthe-
less, strong and influential factors are
at work there for the overthrow or
the present government Throughout
the entire entente there is growing
tendency t. unite The Wilsonian prin-
oiples with revolutionary socialism.
The result is a protest against iuf-
ther pressure on Germany.
"2. All this works in the armies or
the entente and has great influence
We learn from good and reliable
sources that pacifist propaeanda Will
be pushed in every possible way in
entente countries. especially demobii-
lied soldiers. 1t is done quite openly.
80 Today if this war should be re-
sumed. anti -militarism would play
quite a different role in entente coun-
tries and armies than it did before the
armistice-ths is certain.
a. 1t may also be affirmed that the
entente is essentially weaker in fight
powerful enemy force against us
theoretically, but advocates have
arisen for US in the heart of this over
powerine force.
"5. There is no doubt that very
hard peace terms will be given us.
probably unacceptable.
Consider Politics Of Day.
sc. We will not discuss here what
the German people will do il the con-
Gitions are too severe. We VII!
rather take the politics of the day
measure the worth and possibilities
of various possible policies in regar.
to the future. For war which has
rot been won. one must pay and suf-
fer With what and how? These are
the main questions for US.
20. A fortunate turn has come for
us. Positive demands for territory
have grown less, whereas damage
done is taking a more prominent
place Alsace- lorraine and part of
the province of Posen must be put
down as lost. but Germany will not
die in consequence.
IS The other frontiers which were
in danger are in a different position
than six months ago. Then the
the left bank of the Rhine. the Poles
already looked upon West Prussia,
the Mazuren district in East Prussia
and the entire government Oppeln as
part of their future kingdom.
We must not forget that from i'm
times. since the epoch of
through the eras of
last year of the war. the French mind
has always seen the natural eastern
frontier in the Rhine, and this Rhine
frontier has always had prominent
place in the folklore of the nation.
Poets have sung OF it, historians writ
ten of it.
Rhine Frontier Vanishes.
- When our nationalist desires in
1870 joined Alsace. and parts of Lor-
raine. to Germany, it was not so much
the French nationalist sentiments
were of Germanic descent and speech;
it was rather the feeling. which had
been handed down from the middle
ages to the present time, the concep-
tion of the Charlema gnian western
extending from the Rhine to
the ocean. Behind all the revenge
literature we must seek this underly-
ing thought OF recovery of this great
power. as it had existed
from Wittikind to Charlemaene the
Great. and which German kultur had
joined to the Eismarckian
and Wi.helmian eastern kingdom.
10. Al now. when the old dream
was nearly .:slized. the Rhine from
tier will from Le,,ciple. no longer be
spoken of: it wilr =. occupied until
the agricultural and econs.ric dam
age done has been handed oo,.- 20
them. with their present stand, IN
order to appreciate the situation.
al. The estimate of damage has
become more precise and therefore
more dangerous. We must protest
against it with all the strength and
all the means in our power. We dare
not openly make a difference between
The territorial and economic claims of
our enemies, or the spirit of the en-
tente might be Influenced against us
Therefore we must consider the eco
nomic conditions with the entente at .
the time of signing as not finally set
tied If we today have before US an
entente which is SO greatly weak
ened in comparison with last au-
tumn, what will it be in few years. !
Or in ten years?
Struggle for World Dominion.
"lc We must. above all. keep be-
fore our eyes the reason of this war.
1t is the struggle for world dominion
between two great factors. the conti-
nent axd the Anglo-Saxon race in