Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-07-08
Continued from First Paee.)

Diplomatic Adventures fishing In trou.
bled waters continue their intrigues onl,
because they hope that some day they
may try their fortunes on the gamins
table of new war. beginning-as 1t has
begun for centuries~~on the borders OIL
the bloody Rhine.
To study the trends of Franco-Oer.
man future is equivalent to studying the
chances of European democracy against
the voluntary or involuntary blindnes,
OF the militaristic forces.
May claim, en- PEASANT. that have
had full opportunity TO study these
questions at first hand. as, after hAvins
been minister for foreign affairs a
home. / was later Ambassador In Paris
and in that capacity one of the foul
members Of the ambassadors confer.
ence. before which all the unsettled In.
cidents concerning the application Of
the treaties were being brought?
German state Of Mind.
Let us first look At the German state
of mind
After the recent German elections II
would be loss OF time 20 indulge II
archaeological problems such A. thu
question Of the fidelity OF the old classes
to the monarchicsl idea, etc.
But, from historical point of view
we ought not to forget the character
iStics Of the revolution out OF which
came the present regime.
The German revolution did not come
out Of feelings or ideas born In the
minds OF the people like the American
and French revolutions. 1t came out oil
an ensemble of factors. independent oil
the national will AS soon as the revo-
luton started, after the armistice, II
Immediately became in the hands OF
demoralized soldiery, real bolshevik
danger--the only real bolshevik danger
we had in Europe. All German force:
might have sunk therein. How was the
danger averted? Not by the feudal arts.
tocracy they hid themselves ant
thought only OF their own well-being
Not by the military caste--they disap.
peared. The only effective bulwark Of
order and peace against bolshevik ex.
blossoms was the party Of the Social.
Democrats and their syndicates. They
acted as II they led the revolution-ir
reality they damned it--and at last they
killed It.
It Is these same Social-Democrats
who now--and this was demonstrated In
the recent elections~~are much buster
fighting the Communists than keeping
back the old Conservative parties. The
reactionary parties lost in the elections
because the young generation was dis.
gusted with policy which did not even
dare TO take the responsibility of theil
nationalistic hates.
May Guide Reconstruction.
The future complete social recon
struction OF Germany probably viii
come from these Social Democrats. Not
because of the laws they may or may
not pass - laws are such secondary
thing In the life OF nation But be-
cause they are--psrhAps unconsciously
preparing the ranks Of new bour-
geoisie, which may become the mental
and moral center of Germany. taking
the place of A military and landed aris-
tocracy which proved itself unable tC
live up to its pretension$ to political
leadership.
This, indeed, Is what Is most essen.
TALLY wanted by Germany~--a free bour'
geoisie. with political sense which II
only reached by the exercise OF rea
political responsibility. The bourgeoisie
of the old regime was greatly, II indi'
reetly responsible for the German dis
asters. Dazzled, as they had been. by
the materialistic advantages Of the VIII
liam II period of political rights. And
this resulted in the lack OF politica
wisdom In their ranks. remember
Prince Won Buiow telling an anecdote In
Roman salon concerning the time o.
his chancellorship. He had compliance
to his powerful secretary Holstein. that
the Germans showed such scanty po-
litical instinct. And Holstein answered
him:
Your highness. we are first in science
first In military training, first In music
first in industrial applications--it is onl,
just that in one field We should be com
piete asses. g"
Civic Responsibility Lowered.
One of the gravest effects of all re,
gimes OF dictators is that the civic cour.
age and the sense Of responsibility O.
the citizens are decidedly lowered Tha
is why the OLD German bourgeoisi,
shares with the Kaiser a great part o.
the German responsibilities. We alst
ought to remember that the leadint
spirits among the German citizens left
their country In l84g, when Bismarck
destroyed their liberty.
Only the war shattered Germany'i
faith in the Kaiser Strange to say
Germany's admiration for its generals
survived for longer period--even aftei
the tragic end Of the war. 1t was moi
until after the nationalistic putsche'
and the childish arti-Semitic speeches
of Ludendorf that Germans began t.
say, Nov we understand why we los
K war"
OF all the generals only one, Marsha
Won HindenburE, has kept--or. rather
bAA d rak kso,
a new form of feeling-eeneral esteem
Hindenburg arrived at his present posi-
ton standing above parties by his con.
duct after the armistice. during the day!
OF the terrific German crisis
saw New Necessities.
Bound as he was by his former oatt
OF fidelity to his King and Emperor. TIL
old soldier began TO show that he under
stood the new necessities of his coun.
try-and he firmly advised the Kaisei
to leave Germany at once And at tina
very moment he showed that the coufi
try. which means the citizens. counted
more for him than did his sovereign
more than did his familiar traditions.
What Is even more meritorious o
Hindenburg is that. having once taker
this road, he continued along 1t withou
AiiE DtUuu kiCiu Htdt
shall, did not hesitate to put himsei
under the orders OF Ebert In the YER,
first days OF the revolution, when Ebef
was not yet an authority" but simpl,
workman. revolutionary"
Germany has indeed been lucky Will
her two Republican Presidents.
The first one, Ebert, won the working
classes over To the new state
Now Hindenburg is breaking--as W,
have seen In the last German elections
the antipathy OF the old classes for tn,
new regime. At least he Ii making tina
antipathy uncertain and timid.
Whispers Against Hindenburg.
] know quite well that many retiret
officers, many Junkers In their estates
are whispering that Hindenburg Is un
faithful to his past. that he Is too old
etc. They are the same people who Il
Germany. as In France and England