The times., 1898-06-20
GOSSIP FROM BERLIN.

There is something queer about this
suddenly developed violent anti-American
feeling in Germany. True, the feeling
is not nearly so strong as IL is in France,
and so far as the overt acts of the Ger
man government are concerned there Is
absolutely nothing TO merit complaint.
But for France there is some tangible
reason why 1t should stand on the side
of Spain, for IT is, like Spain. a Latin
nation, and the good cid saying that
blood is thicker than water has its mean
those Of English blood Then, again.
thousand millions OF pesetas' worth OF
Spanish securities are held by French
people Surely there is much TO make
the French forget their former liking for
Uncle Sam But what induces the Ger
man people TO persist in abuse of Ameri-
cans? What good reason is there for
them Systematically 10 blaeken the Amer
lean record in this war and in It's ante
cedents? / confess that I was taken
completely by surprise in this matter
There seemed 10 be nothing to make one
suppose that the German people would
turn around and show studied hatred and
scorn of the American nation. On the
part of the German government indeed.
something was done TO lead the press and
popular opinion in the opposite direction.
for articles were directly inspired by the
foreign office here 10 point out 10 the
Germans that IL would be wise polite
and serving their own interests TO show a
friendly attitude toward the Americans
in this war with blood-stained Spain. and
a number OF sound arguments were used
in support of this contention. So that the
avalanche of i'll feeling which neverthe-
less broke out over the whole of Germa-
ny-and by no means in the press alone
must be taken as entirely spontaneous.
as the expression of what the Germans
call the ''VolksseeIe''-the soul Of the peo-
pie.
No matter where one goes-in every
beershOp. in every concert hall or theater.
one hears nothing but contumely, nothing
but hard words spoken Of the Americans.
II is said here that the war is the sole
creation OF the Sugar Trust: that IL is
due merely to an ignOble craving TO pos
sess the Spanish colonies; that this is a
fight Of Goliath against David. with the
honors easily on the side Of the latter;
that the American militia will not fight.
being too cOwardly for that; that If vic
tory finally perches on the Star-Spangled
Banner it viii be only because Of the
filed money bags of the Americans-this
and much more and worse than this one
can hear all around. no matter where one
turns until one feels fairly nauseated
with indignation.
What is the reason Of il all? What
has the United States. as a nation. ever
done to Germany? If one puts this ques-
ton to the very men who howl ioudest.
no adequate, sensible reply is forthcom-
ing. There really is no reply-at least
none that seems sufficient TO a sensible
nation For what is here made 10 do
duty as reasons in reality cannot be re-
garded in that light. 1 will take the
trouble. SO that the reader may judge
fairly. to enumerate the reasons cited
against the United States.
First OF all. Spain is monarchy and
the United States is a republic That.
in a country where mOnarchiSm IS as
deeply ingrained as it is in Germany.
means something. Then. owing 20 The
intense ignorance Of American affairs
prevailing here. people imagine that ev-
cry American is a millionaire. and that
he nevertheless. longs for the few pieces
OF property left ''the poor S1aniard 80
Next. il is believed that the war was
brought on willfulIy by the United
States. without rhyme or reason-juSt
out Of sheer greed. Then the Spanish
bear here The reputation OF being gal
liant fighters. whereas, for some in
scrutable reason. the popular belief here
* that the reverse is true Of the Ameri-
cans. who are claSSed as mere grasping.
cOnscienceless y-getters-cunning de-
ceivers. Then you Will hear lot of talk
about the ancient glories Of Spain. and
about the United States being an upstars
with no assured place in civilization
This. / think, exhausts the stock arEu-
mentS one hears everywhere advanCeR in
favor Of Spain and against the United
States when one takes the trouble to III
quire. Do they impress you as suffi-
cient for the German people 70 take this
prOnouncedly hostile stand against the
American people?
There is one other reason. and the most
potent one. probably. why the German
people dislike the Americans. The Ger
man people think the American people
are more wealthy. more prosperous. more
free from care than they. They have
read and heard so much about the Amer
ican millionaire and his wonderful do
ings that they begrudge the Americans
their wealth. They inwardIy grOan when
they think that while they must send
their sons to the army. the young Ameri-
Cti4- = ull LIle ulSA EOdI 10 uEducldA pros
perity, and while they stagger under a
burden of taxation made necessary by be-
ing always in readiness for war, the
American needs 10 do nothing of the
kind. Providence having been kinder 10
him. and not supplying him with power
ful neighbOrS eager and able TO rend ter
ritOry from him the moment his armOr is
not quite without a flaw. This reason.
mind you. neither the German press nor
I
admit. but it is a very powerful reason.
and possibly the most powerful one.
The movement for the advancement Of
woman received a serious setback here
recently. when in the Prussian diet the
minister of public education. DR.. BOsse.
explained why he had refused to grant
permission for the erection of a high
school for girls, with plan of study ex-
actly like that of the same grade of