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EVENING- LMtKSBK PHILADEU'UIA, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 10J7
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GERMANY
WfE NEXT 0
REPUBLIC ?
(gy CARI, WXCKER.MAN
... . . ii 1 1 Jl.!n innxnnU 41 TTleC'nil Pnln . .-
"The most impressive tiling auum uu juuihw -w.., vuiuBiic anu the Ry
Valley industrial centers was what tne men saia auum uic necessity for unlimj,
warfare. Every man I met was opposed to tnc uianccuor. nicy hated him
CopjrlcM. 1917 Oeorie H Dorn Company.
The Industrial Barons and Munitions Profiteers
Were the Chief Allies of the Unlimited Sub
marine Warfare Advocates and Exerted All
Possible Influence to Hinder the Conciliator!;
Work of Chancellor von Hethmann-IIollwcg
Nevertheless, the Socialists Were a Factor to lie
Considered, and When These Radicals Mel in
a National Convention the Country Watched
Expectantly for Some Definite Outcome The
Socialists Represented Real Public Opinion
X17HILE these public discussions were going on tlie fight
on the Chancellor began to grow. It was evident that when the
Reichstag met again in September there would be a bitter and
perhaps a decisive fight on Von Bcthmann-Hollwog. The division
in Germany became so pronounced that people forgot for a time
the old tatty lines and the newspapers and paity lcadeis spoke of
Iho "Bcthmann p;irty" and the "Von Tirpitz patty." Whether
the submarines should be used ruthlessly against all shipping was
the issue which divided public sentiment. The Mime democratic
forces which had been supporting the Chancellor in other fights
again lined up with the Foreign Ofliec. The reactionaries supported
Major Bassermann, who really led the fight against the Chancellor.
During this period the Chancellor and the Foreign Office saw that
the longer the war lasted the stronger the Von Tirpitz party would
become, because the people were growing moic desperate and were
enthused by the propaganda cry of the navy. "Down with England!"
The Chancellor and tho Foreign Office tried once more to get
the world to talk about peace. After the presidential nominations
In America the press began to discuss the possibilities of American
peace intervention. Every one believed that the campaign and
elections in America would have an important effect on the prospects
of peace. Theodore Wolff, editor of the Berlin Tageblatt, who was
the Chancellor's chief supporter in newspaper circles, began the
publication of a scries of articles to explain that in the event of
the election of Charles E. Hughes .Germany would be able to count
upon more assistance from America and upon peace. At the time
the Allies were pounding away rtt the Somme and every effort was
being mnde to bring about some kind of peace discussions when
these battles were over.
Hindering lite Conciliatory Program
On September 20 a convention of Socialists was held in Berlin
for the purpose of uniting the Socialist party in suppoit of the
Chancellor. The whole country was watching the Socialist dis
cussions, because ery one felt that the Socialist party repre
sented the real opinion of the people. After seveial days of dis
cussion all factional differences were patched up and the Socialists
were ready to present a solid front when the 'fight came in the
Reichstag on September 28. On the twenty-fceventh Berlin hotels
began to buzz with excitement over the possibilities of overthrowing
the Chancellor. The fight was led by National Liberals and
Center party groups. It was proposed by Doctor Coerting, an
industrial leader from Hanover, to move a vote of lack of confidence
in the Chancellor. Coerting was supported by the big ammunition
interests and by the Von Tirpitz crowd. Before the Reichstag
convened the Chancellor went to Great Headquarters for a final
conference with the Kaiser and Field Marshal von Hindenbuig.
Before he left it looked as if the Chancellor would be overthrown;
but when he returned he summoned the Reichstag leaders who
were supporting him and several editors of Liberal newspapers.
The Chancellor told them that Von Hindenburg would support him.
The next day editorials appealed in a number of newspapers saying
that Von Hindenburg and the Chancellor were united in their
ideas. This was the most successful strategic move the Chancellor
had made, for' the public had such great confidence in Von Hinden
burg that when it learned that he was opposed to Von Tirpitz
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men were iuhihk i"i:y. oo mo nrst thing Von HI a T
was to double all orders for ammunition and war u i j
scnu L.u(icnuon 10 mo muusirini centers to make ti
men who were opposed to tho Government. e
Thus from May to November German nnl.n
period of transformation. No one know exactly what u i
there were so many confliclimr oninlnna u-i!.i. . UodI
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trial lenders and the press were so divided it was i
something would have to be dono or the German polit' 1
tion wouiu siriKe a roci; nnu go to pieces. The Sa'iaiT
still demnndinc election reforms ilnrimi. n, "wfe
Liberals were intriguing for a Reichstag committee
authority with the I-orcign Office in dealing will, .
international nffnirs. The landowners, who were fa"
because the Government was confiscating so mi.M, -.S,"'2'
only criticizing Von Bethmann-Hollwcg. but hnMini. v
fnnil ns fhnV COuld for htfrllnr nrinm Tt. l.i... . . 7
had been losing money becauso Von Falkenhnvn t,.j
ammunition orders, were only partially satisfied by Voilmw!
burg's step, because they lenlizcd that unless the war wasi u
uiw vivi.w.i.i.v...!. uu.u nub iiutu sucn supplies indefinlttLj
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"With his hands in Ids pockets, his face-looking down, Major Bassermann paced his office and began a bitter denunciation of the
neutrality of the United States."
the backbone of opposition to the Chancellor was broken. On
the twenty-eighth, as Von Bethmann-Hollwcg nppcarcd in the
Reichstag, instead of facing a hostile and belligerent assembly,
he faced members who were ready to support him in anything
ho did. The Chancellor, however, realized that he could take some
of the thunder out of the opposition by making a strong state
ment against England. "Down with England!" the popular cry,
was the keynote of the Chancellor's remarks. In this one speech
he succeeded in uniting, for a time at least, public sentiment and
the political parties in support of the Government.
A few days afterward I saw Major Basseimann at his office
in the Reichstag and asked him whether the campaign for an
unlimited submarine warfare would be resumed after tho action
in the Reichstag in expressing confidence in the Chancellor. He said:
"That must be decided by the Foreign Office, the Ministry of
Marine and the General Staff. Englaand is our chief enemy and
we must recognize this and defeat her."
With his hands in his pockets, his face looking down, he
paced his office and began a bitter denunciation of the neutrality
of the United States. I asked him whether he favored the submaiine
warfare even if it bi ought about a break with the United States.
"We wish to Jive in peace and friendship with America," he
began, "but undoubtedly there is bitter feeling here because Amei
ican supplies and ammunition enable our enemies to continue the
war. If America should succeed in forcing England to obey inter
national law, restore freedom of the seas and' proceed with Amer
ican energy against England's brutalization of neutrals it would
have a decisive influence on the political situation between the"
two countries. If America does not do this, then we must do it
with our submarines."
A Trip to the Industrial Centers
In October I was invited by tho Foreign Office to go with a
goup of correspondents to Essen, Cologne and the Rhine Valley
industrial centers. In Essen I met Baron von Bodenhausen and
other directors of Krupps. In Dusseldorf at the Industrie Klub
I dined with the steel magnates of Germany, and at Homburg-on-thc-Rhino
I saw August Thyssen, 'one of the richest men in
Germany and the man who owns one-tenth of Germany's coal and
iron fields. The most impressive thing about this journey was
what the men said about the necessity for unlimited warfare
Eery man I met was opposed to the Chancellor. They hated him
because he delayed mobilization at the beginning of the war. They
stated that they had urged tho invasion of Belgium, because if
Belgium had not been invaded immediately France could have
seized the Rhine Valley and made it impossible for Germany to
manufacture war munitions and thereby to fight a war. They said
they -were in favor of an unlimited, luthless submarine warfare
against England and all ships going to the British Isles.
,(Do you think Geimany wants war with America?" I asked
Thyssen.
"Never!" was his emphatic response. "First, because we have
enemies enough, and secondly, because in peace times our lclations
with America are always most friendly. We want them to con
tinue Vo after the war."
3iBPfogsen's remarks could be taken on their face value were
farnKW' the fact that the week before we arrived in these cities
(wna&iInJudendorf, Von Hindenburg's chief assistant and co-worker,
-i ti$,"l ge': ne industrial leaders to manufacture more ammuni
'iSKfeVort Falkenhayn had made many enemies in this section
lJeaks" he cut down the ammunition manufacturing until these
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"Simplicissimus," a leading German comic magazine, prtotei a
this cartoon in which Pope Benedict is represented mUm 1
President Wilson, "How can my angel fly, Mr. I'rcsHtoi,
, when you always put shells in her pockets?"
saw, tdo, that the attitude of President Wilson jlad ?o !&
what little standing they still had in the neutral world that,
Germany won the war in a decisive way, their world ttant:
would disappear forever and they would be forced tolxii
over after the war.
Faced by this predicament, they demanded a ruthless subm
warfare against all shipping in order that not only Engines
every other Power should surfer, because the more ships audi
erty of the enemies "destroyed the' more their chanejiif
rest of the world would be equalized when the war was o.jJl
conumons were uecoming worse, me people were Decomng
dissatisfied; losses on the battlefield were touching 7eflye
family. Depression was growing. Every one felt 'that,
had to be done and done immediately. N i fj
(CONTINUED TOMOItnOW)
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THESE ARE STRENUOUS DAYS FOR THE NAVAL ItSO AST DEFENSE RESERVISTS NEAR GAPE MAY
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RESERVISTS AT DAILY DRILL WITH ONE-POUND RAPID FIRERS
Thorough acquaintance with these guns is required for defense of the coast against a hostile landing party. The
reservists shown are stationed at the Wissahickon barracks on the old Ford Farm at Sewell's Point.
UUUIU'ANTS Vif TilE WlSSAiilCKON BARRACKS IN BATTALIUJM I-'UKMATIUN , j. 51
The training of the Naval Coast Defense Reservists isas varied as it is interesting and ranges from the seamanship drill to practice v j
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RESERVISTS. BUILDING OBSERVATION HOUSES FOR THE RIFLE RANGE
And making a good job of it, too. A few months ago these lad? were bank clerks, salesmen and th
like. Before enlisting moat of them were iuuued. to manual labor,
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"HEAVING THE LEAD"
A task morq strenuous than it looks per
formed from one of the many platforms used
in lieu of chip.
AN nirrnnnn m accs im tiht Aivrtrpirs nv knots AND SPLICES
' The seamanship drill la one of the jnost interesting experiences of the erstwhile InhdluM
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