Evening star., 1921-09-19
Why Erzberger Was Shot.

The reactionary murder gang that
! has been terrorizing German poll
ticians OF the new era and finally
brought its work to climax in the
assassination of Erzberger may be
playing good internal politics, but it
is certainly not helping the German
nationalist cause abroad. The Paris
Eictoire prints, under the signature of
Gustave Herve. an article which makes
lErZberger's death a reason for French
men to continue policy of concilia-
tion toward the Wirth government:
1T is really extraordinary that the
German militarists waited so long to
send this unfortunate Erzberger into
the next world.
In their eyes he must be the most
odious type of traitor and a turn
coat.
"Erzberger in his position of leader
of the Catholic party had for a long
time been one of them. since the Cath
. Ollie party in Germany was one Of the
supporters of the throne and Of i'm
perial policy. Erzberger had even ad-
vocated, in the first years of the war,
F., the annexation of Belgium.
f; But as he loved Germany still more
:. than the emperor at a time when it
seemed that the salvation of his coun-
| imperial regime, he sacrificed it reso-
lntely and was one of the first. with
+, the astonishing vivacity of his mind,
! to think of a republic in order to
, evade the anger of the allies.
"It was this first crime that the
monarchiSt party never forgave him.
Drawing unpopularity. he accepted the
thankless job of going to negotiate
the armistice with Foch. 1t has been
said in France that this armistice
but the German military party con-
Sidered which is indeed true that it
delivered up Germany to the enemy
with bound hands and feet. For this
also ErZberger was never forgiven.
"The Catholic leader" continues the
writer, has never ceased since to in
crease his unpopularity by advocating
the execution of the Versailles treaty.
knowing very we'll that his country
would have to pay for it II it tried
to evade its obligations.
But just as if he wanted to boast
once more to his enemies. he revealed
the other day. in his memoirs. that II
was the German headquarters staff
which in 1918 lost its head and de-
manded peace at any price. before
there was any revolution in Berlin.
simply because of the impression
caused by Foch's victories. Thus.
while the military party related that
it was the German socialists who. un-
der threats of revolution. had obliged
the German staff to demand a capitu-
lation, he brought the proof. he who
that it was the staff which for purely
military reasons were the first to ask
for mercy. That was a crime that
only death could expiate.
Those in France who get a fright
every time any pangermanist paper
speaks of revenge. or every time
that any old Prussian fogy shakes
his fist at us. will not fail to relate
with regard to Erzberger's assassina-
tion that the German military party
10 fninp f0 ra-aStahliSh the amniro
tomorrow. and declare war on US the
next day."
The writer thinks that this is all
nonsense. that political assassina-
ness and that the pangermanist re-
storing party would not have mur-
dered Erzberger If there had been
any chance of re-establishing the en-
pire.
"It is always easy to assassinate a
man." he says. but it would be more
difficult to assassinate the German re-
public.
"For the German militarists to
Which, at the recent elections were
enormously in the majority, would
have to let themselves be stifled. with
out lifting a little finger to defend
themselves.
a re-establishment of the Hohenzol-
lerns; as long as we are in the Rhine
the German militarists would dare not
attempt 1t.
"Erzberger is dead.
But If we know how to treat the
left party, at present in power in
Berlin. the democratic republic will
survive in Germany"
In conclusion the writer says: 1.-THE
assassination of Erzberger is only one
more reason for us to continue the
policy of reconciliation and modera-
tion as we have done since Wirth be-
came chancellor of the German re-
public"