Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-12-26
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military elements recovered their
freedom of action.
This recovery was first indicated
when there was a general protest
against the course of Gen. Won Seekt,
who had permitted a son OF the 1or-
mer Crown Prince to enter the army
as an officer. AS a result or the 40
nestle muss which this action caused,
Seekt had to go. But Seekt had been
the able soldier who had in fact laid
the bases for the future restoration
OF German military strength and
within limits played the role OF Gnei'
senau in the Napoleonic era after
Jena.
Fell With Little Protest.
BEFORE Locarno no German party
would have dared to attack Seekt ana
he had survived all political changes.
But he fell quickly and with very
little protest. Now the present up.
roar in the Reichstag Is the result OF
newspaper disclosure OF the fasnioh
in which under Seekt's regime the
evasion Of the disarmament clauses
was carried on and the manner In
which public funds were employed
secretly for the purpose.
The meaning Of the present incident
can hardly be exaggerated. 1t DEM
onstrates that the internal condition
of Germany has reached q point
where the parties and groups working
for q peace of Cancellation, working
for a peace Of understanding with the
nations which were enemies during
the war, at last feel strong enough
to attack the military element In the
open. And 1t signifies further that the
German people have at last reached
point where they no longer FEAR tnat
allied policy actually envisages the
permanent humiliation and oppression
Of their country.
So far from supplying French min
listers or governments with new rea-
sons for occupying more German
territory or employing greater coer-
cion, the German parties which are
back of the new disclosures and de-
bates believe that the departure of
the French will be actually hastened
If only the German military forces are
successfully exposed in their evasions
and controlled in their resistance.
Step Is Long One.
This is a very long step. 1t means
that at last there is beginning a
public opinion supporting the Repub.
lie which Is not only passive but
active, not simply condemned to the
defensive but able and ready to take
the offensive. 1t means that the need
of allied supervision of German mill
tary policies must diminish as the ele-
ments within Germany which are
opposed to military ideas are more
and more able to assert themselves.
That the German Republic would
endure has been the growing belief
not only of foreigners but of Germans
for at least two years. But its per-
manence has been rather set down
to the absence of any really appeal
ing substitute, to the destroyed
prestige of the Hohenzollerns and the
unavailability of any dynasty, even
that of Bavaria. The extent of real
republican sentiment has been
gravely questioned.
But recent events and particularly
the clash between the Socialists and
the nationalists over the military
ing precisely that kind Of public
sentiment which in the end must
exist If republican institutions are to
take root. Moreover, a year ago, the
vote upon the money settlement with
the kings and princes over lands and
palaces demonstrated the enormous
strength Of the anti-monarchial senti-
ment which has developed.
ReactiOnaries Are Limited.
It may we'll be that the present
explosion produced by the Socialist
attack will result in the creation Of
q cabinet which rests for its support
upon the Bourgeois and Nationalist
elements, but on the other hand the
power Of tue reactionaries will hence
forth be lirnited by the fact that what
they do will certainly be dragged forth
into daylight and have evil effects at
home and abroad.