Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1921-09-29
ERZBERGER
BY DR.. Frank Crane

BY DR.. Frank Crane
The crime of Erzberger was that he was
intelligent and honest.
These are the two objectionable sins in
tho eyes Of the two varieties OF blatherskites
who afflict the human race.
These two varieties are the extreme radl-
calls and the extreme reactionaries.
They cannot endure intelligence. because
they have seized an idea. as a dog grabs a
bone, and runaway with it in blind frenzy.
Often this idea is good one, in fact,
usually it is. But good idea pursued with
fanaticism is deadlier than bad idea enter
tanned with tolerance.
Intelligence is critical It does not permit
it's possessor to seek to gain his point by as
sassinating political enemies, by roasting
heretics, or by torturing and numbering
women and children.
Always it elects the mercies of practical
ity to the cruelties of opinionated egotism.
ErZberger was intelligent because, though
German, he realized the utter madness OF
Pan-German ambition, which was to conquer
the world la Caesar and to regulate it a la
God.
For this reason the young buckoes who
still sing hoch der Kaiser and dream unclean
dreams of monarchy restored, hated him as
the devil hates holy water.
He was intelligent, furthermore, in this:
that he saw no peace in Europe, and no re-
turn to wholesome and normal evolution Of
society, except in an eventual Cancellation
many and it's victors.
No social growth can function on hate.
Grudges in the blood of the body polite
by and by break out in the pustules Of revo-
luton and war.
The narrow minded who in Germany
preach eternal hate of France, in France
preach undying hate of Germany, in America
are doing their best to create hate toward
Great Britain and Japan, are all in the same
boat.
They may not be assassins themselves, but
their gospel breeds assassins
The worst enemies of every country are
those of their own number, who, under pre-
text of loud patriotism, preach the dark and
cowardly propaganda of hate and suspicion
toward other peoples
martyr to the cause of the coming World
State. Perhaps his death was needed for
the cause of Humanity, as the blood of the
martyrs was the seed of the Church.
No man can do better service for the
Truth than to die for it.
And Erzberger was honest.
Having signed the treaty, Germany ought
to keep it, he declared
To fulfil as good sports their every prom
Use, he thought would gain more for Ger
many in the end than to try to wriggle out
of their agreement by sharp dealing.
So he had to go.
Nobody is hated more holly by those
whose, handspring is hate than they who de-
nounce hate.
All class maniacs turn and rend one who
would preach to them the folly of class.
Always narrowness hates lberality with
full intensity.
Jesus, whose only aim was to make a
racial religion universal, was crucified by re-
ligion's leaders.
Lincoln, who was the very genius of recon-
ciliation, was killed by an irreconcilable.
Erzberger, who wanted to make of Ger
many friend to the world. was murdered
by them whose love for Germany took the
form of an ambition to retain for Germany
the title of the worlds enemy.
The road to world unity is lined with
crosses.
Copyright, 1921, by Frank Crane)