Evening star., 1898-07-23
GERMAN SENTIMENT
It is by No Means Hostile to the
United States.
how THE CHANGE HAS COME ABOUT
Today They Would Be Glad to See
Us Win.
ATTITUDE OF THE EMPEROR


BERLIN, July 13, 1895
Had any well-informed American resi-
dent of Germany been asked six weeks ago
how the Germans felt toward the United
States regards the war with Spain, he
would have unhesitatingly said they were
against from A to Il. That statement
would have been based not upon the hun
dred little daily insults and petty affronts
to which Americans were subjected, but
upon certain pronounced and positive facts
In the first place, the most intense jealousy
exists against US because of the rapid de-
selopment of our trade, which is crowding
the German manufacturers even in their
home markets. American steel rails, ma
chinery, agricultural Implements tools of
all kinds, bicycles. typewriting machines
and novelties sell cheaper in Berlin today
than similar articles of German make
Another very sore and tender subject is
the sugar question, the mention of which
to most Germans is like waving the pro-
verbal red flag before an excited bull
There is also a feeling against the United
States fostered by the agrarian party COM
posed of the nobility and large land owners
whose sons, sons-in-law and other male
relatives are officers in the army or office
holders in the civil service who have to
be largely supported by their fathers
They are against us because the importa-
lioii VI AMERICAN IGOQ StuifS GepreciateS
the price of their own products lessons
their incomes and makes it more difficult
each year for them to properly maintain
thelr uniform wearing relatives. Still an
other ENCOURAGEMENT to a hostile feeling is
the FEAR generally shared throughout con-
tnental Europe that the growth and great
ness OF the American republic is a menace
to all monarchies
Change in Sentiment
Although nothing has occurred to change
any of these facts, the question of German
sympathy in the present war. if propound
ed today, would require different answer.
The Germans now want America TO win
not out of sympathy, but out of self-inter-
est. Personally the kaiser wants to see us
win German sentiment is veering to the
side of the United States for another rea-
son-because the United States is winning:
IN a big military nation. as in a big crowd
or a big school, there is very little sympa-
thy with the under dog. All consideration
OF interest and of admiration for sturdy
nghtlng (Which are of the greatest weight
IN Germany lead the kaiser'S subjects To
take a more favorable view of American
success than they were disposed to hold
some weeks ago
TO the question in writing: "Wil you tell
me ABOUT the German attitude toward the
United States in this war and whether If
is true that the kaiser is hostile to Ameri-
can interests in the far east" a leading
south German editor sends the following
reply: Your American rress infers from
articles gathered from English and French
sources, so far as l can see that the Ger
man papers are one and all on the side of
SPAIN This is not correct. Certainly one
meets pronounced sympathy for Spain
but only in very narrow-mindad, conserva-
tive circles, composed of those who see in
the attack of your great republic upon the
Spanish monarchy direct offense against
royalty by the grace of God But this is
a~oiJ, 1T,
we think much more practically here Our
emperor said once in another connection
Blood is thicker than water and this SEN
timent applies here, too, for how many and
now close are the ties of race and family
and community; how many the connections
OF a personal nature that lead from us
across the water to your country Espe-
cially Is this the case of west and south
Germany. for after the revolution of '4S a
vast percentage of the residents crossed
the Atlantic to the United States 1t is a
notable fact that in these sections the SEN
timent of sympathy for the United States
Is strongest.
No Decided Feeling.
In regard to the disposition of the Phil
ippines, there Is no very decided feeling for
or against the United States But we have
lately acquired a peculiar trait of becoming
bidders when any part of the world is to be
divided. In the PAST we have lost many
opportunities. 1t is not likely that we will
do so in the future.
ALLOW me in closing to call attention to
a recent article in the officialIy-inspired
Rhenischar Kurier on this subject of Amer
lea and the Philippines:
by permanent settlement in the Phil
ippines the United States would come into
the closest vicinity not only of Japan but
also of the interested great powers of Eu-
rope, namely, England, Russia and Ger
many. The United States would thereby
forfeit their boasted tradition of solitari-
ness. Whoever has neighbors must show
some consideration, make some concessions
and cannot always maintain the Juvenile
and bold language with which even today
the American republic astonishes European
diplomacy and through which hesitating
Spain was driven into the war.
There is one very important question
to be asked-whether the members of the
European-East Asiatic concert will allow
admission into their own good society TO
the American republic. For US Germans If
England and the United States really bar
gain about the Philippines, the time will
be most convenient for correcting our CO.
lonfal map. Whether it will be by the dis
mtssal of the American-English co-goyern-
ment in Samoa; whether by the giving back
of Zanzibar. which was once exchanged
for Heligoland, like suit of clothes for
q trousers button we will soon have in
terests to bring forward which will be i'm
portant In consideration of the Philippines
1t is doubtful If the United States will
redOlly permit European judgment to be
passed upon the settlement OF the Philip
pine question, and although the young re-
public forced Spain into the war without
right. she has the absolute right to be the
sole Judge in the settlement of her case
against SPAIN"
Not q War for Humanity.
When the same question of German SEN
timent was submitted to a prominent Ber-
lin manufacturer. who employs many hun
dred workmen in his factories. he answered:
"Over nine-tenths Of our people share the
kaiser's opinion in his policy Of the strict
est neutrality. There is no sympathy in
Germany for poor priest-rdden and degen-
crate Spain. and our interests as well as
our sympathy naturally tend toward the
United States. We cannot. on the other
hand, shut our eyes to the fact that our
American friends are waging an unjust
war. We laugh at the pretext of a war
for the sake of humanity. We know that
there would have been no rebellion in Cuba
or that 1t would have been suppressed by
Spain except for American sympathy and
support. 1t may go hard with Spain in the
end, but that Is no business of ours, and
the emperor understands German interests
too well to risk single pfennig for the
sake of one side or the other. II he could