!,- Hetwrlsl Section toEPMANY EVENING LEDGEEr-iPHlLADELPHiA, FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 1917 &f NEXT n REPUBLIC ? (By CARL, WCKERMAN "Only a biff military defeat will shake the confidence of the Germans in the Kaistr, Hindenburg and their organized might. The people are beginning to think now, but they will do a great deal more thinking if they are beaten. Germany can keep until she is decisively beaten." Copyright, 191T, Qtorc II. Doran Company. the German People Had Childlike Faith in Von , Hindenburg, and When He Told Them That j; the Verdun Defeat Was a Tactical Success 'p- They Believed Him and Hailed Him Once P More as a Conqueror But the Socialists Refused to Be Blinded by False Claims and Explanations by the Military J, Party That Fail to Explain A Big Allied f' Victory or Moral Support Would Go Far to F Help the Radicals MANY times during the war Germany has been on the verge of a collapse. President Wilson's ultimatum after the sinking of the Sussex in the English Channel brought about one crisis. Von Falkcnhayn's defeat at Verdun caused another. The Sommo battlo brought on a third. General Brussiloff's offensive against the Austrlans upset conditions throughout the Central Powers. Rumania's declaration of war made another crisis. But Germany passed all of these successfully. The ability of the German Government to convince the people that Wilsoa was unneutral and wanted war caused them to accept Germany's note In the Sussex case. The defeat at Verdun was explained as a tactical success. The Sommc battles, with their terrible losses, failed to bring a break-up because the Allies stopped attacking at the critical moment. Von Hindenburg, as chief of the General Staff of Central Europe, remedied the mistakes of the Austrians during Brussiloff's attacks by reorganizing the Dual Monarchy's army. The crisis which Rumania's entrance on the Allies' side brought in Germany and Hungary was forgotten after Von Mackensen. took Bucharest. In each of these instances it will bo noticed that the crisis was successfully passed by "stimulation." The German mind was made to believe what the Kaiser willed. But what about the future? Is there a bottomless well of Umulation in Germany ? The German People Are Beginning to Think Before these questions can be answered others must be asked: "Why don't the German people think for themselves? Will they aver think for themselves ? An incident which occurred in Berlin last December illustrates the fact that the people are beginning to think. After the Allies replied to President Wilson's peace note the Kaiser Issued an appeal to the German people. One morning it was printed on the first pages of all newspapers in bold face type. When I arrived at my office the janitor handed me the morning papers and, pointing to the Kaiser's letter, said: "I Bee the Kaiser has written US another letter.. You know, he never wrote to US in peace time." There aro evidences, too, that others are beginning to think. The Russian revolution is going to cause many Socialists to discuss the future of Germany. They have discussed it before, but always behind closed doors and with lowered voices. I attended one .. , . "If Paul von Hindenburg says a retreat is a victory the people will take his judgment." The photograph shows a Berlin crowd cheering Von llindcnburg's "victorious" troops. night a secret meeting of three Socialist leaders of the Reichs tag, an editor of a Berlin paper and several business men. What they said of the Kaiser that night would, if it were published, send every man to the military firing squad. But these men didn't dare speak that way in public at that time. Perhaps the Russian revolt will give them more courage. But the Government is not asleep to these changes. The Kaiser believes he can continue juggling public opinion, but he knows that from now on it will be more difficult. But he will not stop. He will always hold forth the vision of victory as the reward for German faithfulness. Today, for instance, in the United States we hear very little about the German submarine warfare. It is the policy of the Allies not to publish all losses immediately; first, because the enemy must not bo given any important information, if possible, and, ' secondly, because losses have a bad effect upon any people. But the German peoplo do not read what wo do. Their news papers aro printing daily the ship losses of the Entente. Subma rines aro returning and making reports. These reports are pub lished and in a way give the peoplo the impression that the subma rine war is a success. We get the opposite impression here, but we arc not in a position to judge better than the Germans, because we don't hear everything. The important question, however, is: What arc the German peoplo being told about submarine warfare? Judging from past events, the Kaiser and his navy are undoubt edly magnifying every sinking for the purpose of stimulating the people Into believing that the victory they seek is getting nearer. Tho Government knows that the public faVors wOiuJill lOrpeuoiUK ui u oniyo uwu.n. . 1,110 uutnijr, ou uiu uovernnMrfj lt. -ma.. I..- mnnttfl nt atlnmaTfna rlAtA r1 t II1UUU19 IIIU1U UJ wwv v HHW...U.U1V IIVbUlJF ,i Military operations In tho west aro probably not nroutJnp. & discussion in Berlin that tho ans against Russia aro. The GmJ!M ment will see to It thD"jlio press points regularly to th Ji billtles of a separate peace with Russia, or to the possibility tfjl Tlin nnnntn ImVA rllflfllllcn fntth In Vnn TTln.lnMt.... . . m .. ,,...,,.... .... ....vuiB, ir lU,, t YTf-.flfea am4 W Aa AH 4m frf 4 4 t . .- V VOIl llinuenuufK bujo u ivuuii i u Yitiury mo people Will fJi ; his judgment But all German leaders know that the 41m. iv coming when they will have to show tho German people a Tictetvfl Hence It would not bo surprising If, after present mlUUfi operations aro concluded, cither by an offensive against HnA5 or by an attack on tho western line, the Chancellor airatn 7.1 pcaco proposals. The Socialists will force tho Chancellor to Ai'i'll It sooner or later. They aro tho real power behind tho thrtfef mltlimtrrn flmv linvn Tint nnnilfrll enlintr In 4r 4n .... iL V .jUf'tf-B j 11 L 1 J J ii ! . . e ll8l)l ana icu uiu uvuiiiu iu uu un-ir uwn xninKinir. ' ' How the Allies Can Help A big Allied military victory would, of course chance m thing. Defeat of tho Gorman nrmy would mean defeat of faS .Hindenburg, tho German god. It would put ah end to theJCalMrti Juggling with his people's nerves. But few poople in Germany exwaK' an Entente victory this year, and they believo that if tho Allitf don't win this year they never will win. ; Germany is stronger militarily now than sho has been and; Germany will bo ablo for many months to keep many EntenbJ armies occupied. Before the year is passed tho Entente raay"'! need American troops as badly as Franco needed English assist-('1 nnco last year. General von Falkcnhayn, former chief of the Ger. f "" """" "", mm wu uuuuk uiu oujiiu iiin iasc December in Rumania: "In war," ho remarked, "nothing is certain except that every-' fj uuiin jb unccriuui, uus ono inmg j. Know is certain: We win .! V,A ,,. nia uiu nan j America's entrance, however, will have the decisive effect. Tht Allies, especially tho French, appreciate this. As a high Frcncnll official remarked one day when Ambassador Gerard's nnrtv utt in Paris: ; There have been two great moments in the war for France.' The first was when England declared war to snnnnrt Td. '' second was the breaking of diplomatic relations between the II United States and Germany. 'ym Tnn fiprmnna rlnn'h lwlfnvn tWc. Ac, Hpntirnl vtn .QIai. TJM..t-J rfJBk' Minister of War, said, Germany doesn't fear tho United State Ho said that, of course, for its effect upon tho German people. Th peoplo must bo mado to believo this or they will not bo able f1 Vinfn Amorirn In frnn fipTmnn fneiVjinn. America's participation, however, will upsot Hindenbure's mJS.- plans. American intervention can put a stop to the KaiSePif. juggling with his people's minds by helping tho Allies defeat Gr many, yjiuy u ui luimai; ucnui in Eiiunc uiu commence 0V the Germans In the Kaiser, Hindenburg and their organized migfll The people aro beginning to think now, but they will do a grMt5 deal more thinking if they are beaten. So tho answer to tho question, "How long can Germany hoM,' out?" is really answered by-saying that Germany can keep'OS until she is decisively defeated militarily. (CONTINUED TOMORROW) PROTESTING THRONG FILLS ACADEMY OF MUSIC TO THE DOORS AND JAMS STREETS NEARBYl A tij-i . : 4 ZrT2Wl WsQ mssMM xSfthxiiSftfs m&m aI $SSj3 J-.5?3f!! gjsr?CKS.?;S.i E"0 . X- a.. - J- .r.'SiSSkS $& , .t&s " " ' : 'tW.ZjPyT?. i-ftrKf ' jwm$&L . ! sstarwsi,-?? .71 m .wni xKI I till Mil n ll NIlW1 I iillMf ; 2. HHHnBtl tV I mfWwtlli TUT 1'ifmU flHr v ': IX rorM mmM 'Vtuca jm a k"Mmiit l , SfcML BrSffW ;?'.'i jKeas mt. 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Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers