The Washington times., 1922-09-10


~ Berlin View Colors.
II is perhaps Inevitable that for
elgn Correspondents should view
Qermany's internal political prob
lens through Berlin spectacles. i
am sure that tens of thousands OF
Amer and German-Americans
are wondering how Il is possible that
at d time like the present, when
every existence OF Germany 10 at
stake, the second largest state OF
the empire should find 1t necessary
to fight 90 bitterly for what re-
mains OF it's national institutions.
Bavaria has no one to plead her
cause, no one to prove to the world
that the principle for which she Is
fighting is of infinitely more than
purely local importance. 1t In q prin-
ciple Of vital significance to all fed
eral states.
Bavaria is for better and for
worse an indissoluble part of the en-
pire. Her deep and passionate loyal.
ty is absolute beyond question. That
this loyalty should become subject
Of doubt and speculation has been q
verv bitter experience.
The problem IL not whether Ba.
varia can risk the consequences OF
separation but whether. in order 10
remain q. member of the German con-
federation of states, she must sur.
render her remaining liberties, suffer
entire disregard OF her public opinion,
submit to humiliating control meas.
ures in no wise justified by condi.
tons.
Bayaria's Loyalty.
Bavaria Is loyal to the entire EN-.
pire, because, through forty-four
years of unexampled progress and
prosperity, her material interests are
inextricabiy interviewer with the eco
nomic development of the whole.
Bavaria is loyal to the empire be-
cause her sons fought and died on a
thousand battlefields shoulder to
shoulder with their brothers from
Prussia and the Rhine, from Silesia
and from Schleswig .Holstein. to DE-
fend German soil from invasion.
Bavaria II loyal to the empire be
cause she realizes that the bitterest
enemy of German unity stands on
the banks of the Rhine and that the
dissolution of the empire would be
the hour of Frances triumph. There
ingiy nay for the accomplishment OF
this great end with Its own financial
ruin.
bavaria In loyal to the empire. but
feels that the complete entorcement
OF the Defense Of the Republic ACT
on Bavarian territory threatens to
mean the beginning OF q German
centralized republic and the emo OF
German liberties as they were un'
derstood when the empire was
founded. .
In a confederation Of states neither
complete subjugation nor unques-
toned Independence ts possible
Separation as Treason.
Revolution tends to repress feder'
al,sn, and socialism no more recog-
nizes historical development and
racial differences in states tnan !.
does difference Of temperament ana
freedom of opinion In the individuai:
Before I go on to the causes OF
Bayaria's discomfort with the pres,
ent state of affairs / must tirst anu
foremost have impressed npon you
that separation Is looked upon mere
as nigh treason, but We 40 not pc
lieve that cooperation implies aoso'
lutte sub1ugation. a.. .s...
We are perfectly willing TO snare
the burdens OF reparation ana re-
construction, to support tne nelcn
in all questions of foreign pcncy, put
we demand in return tactful Iecos'
milton of the right Of pubic OPINION
racial peculiarities and historical oe'
velopment. s,..
tory of which it is justly PROUD. For
one thousand years II has peen
sovereign state, forming its own ~
lance, maxine war upon or deIeno'
ing itself against its neighpors, lmpos'
ing taxes, coming its own currency,
fitting out its own army, for every
one knows how loose was the CON
nection between the state IN tne
holy Roman empire ana IN the Ssa
man federation from 1919 10 lelv;
Fifty-six years ago Bavaria WIZ
war on Prussia as Austria any,
but four years later 1t 1ougnt sloe
by side with its late enemy asains'
| France.
Union With Prussia.
At the close Of the Franco.
Prussian war the governments OF
| the different German uucnies ahu
Kingdoms realized that the day 81
small powers and principalities was
over. and that the peace Of Europe
depended upon the balance Of
power Incorporated in great EN-
pires.
The remuneration OF Bavarian
sovereignty as an independent state,
with absolute control over It's own
foreign policy, was very bitter for
King Ludwig II and the Bavarian
neople and bavaria only entered In
the be,ief that her local liberties
would be safeguarded.
II Ia obvious that Bavaria feels
much more deeply the efforts OF the
central government to reduce II 70
A mere province than many other
German states.
Baden. for instance, was patched
together little more than 100 years
ago. by Napoleon. out OF various
odds and ends left over In his re-
CONSTRUCTION Of Europe. A dynasty
was given Il, with which It lived
along until the revolution OF 1918 In