Show k War Gain For America merica j t. t Slight Says Bernberg 1 j 1 1 1 1 1 1 L 1 1 1 1 By William Bayard Hale Whatever opinion may obtain obtain obtain ob ob- tain in America regarding Dr Bernard the fact remains remains re- re mains that his intellect is one of the most brilliant among the German Ger German lan leaders of ot today I enjoyed an opportunity of ot conversing with D De e r n b bel e r gand g gand and recorded the following sentences sentences sentences sen sen- extemporaneously expressed expressed ex ex- expressed ex- ex pressed I dont don't need to enlarge on the impression which the note of the entente Mowers has made in Germany and upon consequences ces which it Is going to have All that has been said and has been clearly and forcefully forceful forceful- ly given In the emperor emperors emperor's s appe appeal l land and the whole nation is with him says ays Wilson Sees Sec Rine ue Situation But what will be the Impression Impression sion eion caused by the note In the United States States and made upon upon President Wilson especially In a speech in Cincinnati last October Mr Wilson said that the continuation of the war must become Intolerable to the neutral neutral neu neutral neu- neu world The notion is abroad that in consequence of the increased industrial activity caused by tho the big war orders especially the tho United States has largely profited profit profit- ed by the war and that Its continuation continuation con con- Is greatly In Its Inter Inter- est Quite the he reverse is the case Of course the United States has not suffered destruction destruction destruction tion of life Ufo and property Its material resources are indeed but the extent of ot othe the he 1 gains is largely overestimated j President Wilson said that i ithe the total foreign trade amounted amount amount- 4 ed to about 4 per cent of ot the I whole trade of the United States and that the war orders including every shipment connected with 5 the war did not surpass 1 per cent Comparatively the amount is quite insignificant If we take half halt of the surplus surplus surplus sur sur- j plus shipments to be clear profit such profit may be about three billIon billion dollars that is no more j than the regular savings of ot the 0 f American people in ordinary j 1 years or about the cost of six i months of war to the belligerents i e ts and one one and a halt half times times times' 4 the yearly increase of the German German Ger Ger- I I Ithe man man wealth In times of peace J JAnd And that is all the profit the j i United States has j I i But let lel us look at the other I side of the balance sheet To J 1 i whom does this wealth go The Thelast The I I last census for the income tax while showing that the average income of tho the great mass of ot the American people has ha hardly i changed Indicates that the number num num- ber of persons earning a million dollars and ad more has increased ed three-fold three so that Is a most unwholesome some change in the distribution distribution dis dis- of ot the national property property prop prop- erty which h must lead to social hate and dissatisfaction Middle d Ue Classes 1 Have Suffered l S The great majority of your people consist as os nS- nS everywhere of middle and it Is the the middle classes who suffer 4 While wages have risen tho the t J. J r Continued on P Page i f. f R e. J Je 1 1 to I i Ut 1 o rAU r- r J WAR AU GAIN SLIGHT Continued from Page One prices have grown enormously Bread and meat cost double building materials and consequently consequently consequently conse conse- rents have increased and so has clothing a and i all necessities necessities necessities ne ne- of life This is pressing particularly hard up upon n the middle classes with a fixed income Liberal professions employees employees and clerks of all sorts they sorts they are aro no better hetter off than their brethren in the belligerent countries Immigration Loss Joss LossIs Is Important Europe has made ade a regular yearly carly contribution to the earning earnIng earning earn earn- ing power of the tho United States b by sending nearly a million able- able bodied immigrants That stream has stopped America Is trying to compel compeli in the eastern market market market mar mar- ket and maintain an open door policy How can she do that with un uncompetitive uncompetitive competitive wages How are the standards of costs and the prices to be e lowered later on without a social upheaval Also the melting down of many different nationalities into one American unit unity of or thought and national feeling so necessary necessary necessary sary has been Interrupted America Is into as ns n's many factions as there are countries fighting In Europe In the tho far east America Amerl st stands alone to toward ward off Japanese Japan Japan- ese em monopoly in the world trade domain One halt half of the worlds world's IJ a t J gold is In American coffers creating creating creating cre cre- Inflation and lation of a highly demoralizing character A large part Il rt of Americas America's legitimate trade with Europe has cut off oft and tho the thorest rest has been placed placed under res restrictive res- res control by the allies contrary to American rights and the law of nations and against It the United States has strongly strong strong- ly but so far Ineffectually pro pro- tested These considerations are before before be be- fore every thoughtful and patriotic patriotic patri patri- otic American They add to the wishes of American civilization for the stoppage of the horrid doings inseparable from the conduct conduct conduct con con- duct of a war not by armies but by peoples Thus President Wilsons Wilson's note has been dictated by humane humane humane hu hu- mane as well as American social and economic considerations It is peace peace not not a German peace nor an English peace but buta a universal peace under which all nations can live and prosper pros pros- per that per that President Wilson demands demands demands de de- mands because it is of of vital necessity to the neu neutrals What is the answer given by bythe bythe the the belligerents Germany has said she is fighting a defensive war and her aims already have been attained while the Hies said they did not want to makepeace make makepeace makepeace peace that the German overture Is a trap that hey wish to conand conand conand con- con and destroy independent nations like Turkey and split up great empires like Hungary tear slivers silvers from the German territory on the east and west westby westby by br way of compensation reduce the great peace-loving peace people that proved by four forty-four years of peace while all her neighbors have gone to war to political impotence and consequently conse conse- con consequently e- e to commercial and industrial In Industrial Industrial In- In nullity Flouts Principles of Llo Lloyd 1 George Georgo President Wilson said he did not know who started the war The world at least knows now who does not want war Lloyd Llo d Georges George's principles applied applied applied ap ap- plied to the United States would call for a negro republic in the south They also would call for the return of Lou Louisiana to slana to to France and California clock back ward Civilization and peace can only grow b by forming larger units not by splitting up his his- grown empires What the result of that theory would be If It It were applied to the the al allies alies allies al- al lies need only be hinted The names of Ireland India Finland Finland Finland Fin Fin- Fin Fin- land the Baltic provinces Savoy Corsica Nizza are very sug sug- There is one passage in the note that will will appeal to Americans as it does to thoughtful thought thought- ful fut Germans namely In reference reference reference refer refer- ence to a league of nations for forthe forthe forthe the mak making ng of preparations for p peace I will not Impugn the sincerity sincerity sincerity sin sin- of the allies in bringing this point forward Can it be attained if It th the result of this war were a peace of Tilsit and not of Prague The prospect of five ten years more of war if need be is not compatible with the protestations protestations protestations pro pro- of the allies fighting for freedom liberty prosperity and good will among men Their note is a delirious expression of bate revenge and spoiled hopes As the emperor said That mask is oft off o |