Evening Republican, Volume 59, Number 61, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 3 April 1917 — GERMANY AT BAY. [ARTICLE]

GERMANY AT BAY.

The article headed “Germany at Bay”, was sent us by our friend, W. B. Austin, of Chicago. The Economist. The definite avowal by the Republic of China that she is in the ranks of Germany’s enemies might naturally be dismissed as a trivial incident Tn view' of that country’s powerlessness in a military way but it has its significance as one more expression of hostility to the ruling classes of the German empire, which is sharpened by the memory of the humiliation to which” China was subjected by the kaiser’s government after the Boxer incident. It is the latest, perhaps the least, recruit to the forces antagonistic to the Prussian idea, and the number of the recruits is now so great as to present a startling picture in world politics. The two great nations of Asia are now on the side of Germany’s enemies, the western liemisphere as far south as the Mexican border, practically all of Africa and nine nations of Europe. In addition one must 'believe that all the neutral powers of western Europe would join the entente powers if choice could overcome fear, except Sweden and possibly also Spain. Particularly imprssive is it when one remembers that it is not really the Germain people that the rot of 'the world is antagonizing but simply a small percentage of that people, consisting mainly of the ‘ruling classes of one state, that is Prussia. It is the Prussian idea that ’is fighting this war and the power that idea has over so large a number of people is a tremendous example of the influence of tFm monarchic idea and also of the

ability of the Hohenzollern family. Almost one might say that the rest of Germany is unimportant and its allies negligible except as they have become the tools consisting of a few thousand .individuals. Here is an aggregate of 150,000,009 people subject to Hie dictation of this military clique, victims of their ambition, their greed, their whims. Practically the rest of the 1,800,000,000 people of the world are against them, the continents of tha earth, the islands of the sea, all classes of races and nationalities. Even little Switzerland from time to time shows its glittering teeth among her mountains and that too with such effect that the Teutons dare not make a move skyward to dislodge the moun* taineers, convenient though that country might be for military purposes. Thus far the control over Germany’s allies is almost complete. Austria is under domination at the

head, for her legislative body has not been in session these two years. Turkey bos been fagged out for a century but receives some new life from the vigor of her master. Bulgaria was dragged in. Possibly more than half of her people would have preferred alliance with the entente powers. This tremendous disparity of numbers is not without meaning. The nations of the earth have not wantonly combined against st weak power as a band of ruffianly boys pick upon a weakling. The aggressor was Germany. There is a great moral principle back of this situation. Men of whatever type, of whatever civilization, of whatever personal development, have a clear conception of fair play, and except Where they are overcome by some strong selfish motive they commonly take rides with a contestant who is in the right. It cannot be that Germany is all right and that the-jest—of he world is all , wrong. Indeed, he merits of this affair are on tiie surface and easily grasped by any person of fair intelligence who not biased by some antecedent condition. The case is so clear and the attitude of the German leaders is so strange that one often hears the inquiry “Are the Germans crazy or are all the rest of us crazy ? ” The lover of mankind looks upon this situation with infinite sorrow. The German people have long been an object of the highest admiration to all human beings who are familiar with tiie course of world affairs for several centuries past. Their power was always a great menace to the greatest empire of ancient times, their history in the past 2,000 years has been full of achievement,! evidencing superior intellect and qualities that contribute to the higher civilization. The more is the pity that they have wrought such destruction upon them-

eelevs and their neighbors. ——- But with the brain of a god the ruling class of Germany has the heart of a hyena. Thence comes the curse of these days since the first of August, 1914. As the war possibly is approaching its end, that is perhaps has only a few months more of life, W”S for the Germans themeelves and civilized persons all over the world to realize the evils that have led up to the present situation and devise some cure. Retribution ther must be, with or"without the intent of man, for the wrongs of he past thirty-two months and those that will be penetrated from this time on, but it scomts a P J ty that it shall be visited upon those engaged in the war who are not responsible ’ but who have snmoly folfowed the lead of bad rulers. _ But the world should not think of retribution. It should think rehabilitation. It should demand that the great abilities of this people shall be appropriated hereafter to the welfare of oT tMt ersd it necessary 7 that the autocracy shall be subverted and that democracy shall take its place.

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