The sun., 1909-01-10


or the authors twenty three chapters
we shall glance only at few in order to
bring out certain features Of Germany q
industrial and commercial progress which
are comparatively little known or i'll ap.
preciated in England and the United
States. One Of the most important sec.
tions Of this book in that dealing with
the characteristics Of the German work
man contrasted with characteristics oi
the English workman. MIR. Dawson tes.
titles that the German workman pos.
sesses qualities. both technical and per.
sonsl, Of n very high order. or his ca.
pacity his work is the best evidence
The day has gone when the products OF
German industry could be described sum-
marily, as they were by German profes-
so~ in 1879, ss of the cheap and bad or
der. comparative cheapness remains
but while plenty Of inferior goods are still
produced the very highest standard Of
excellence is also attained il seems that
the FIRST difference discernible to the in
vest kyator between the German and the
English workman IL the formers lack OF
independence. He submits 10 an endless
amount Of direction. and in Mr.. Dawson e
judgment he needs il. Control and regu.
lation at every turn are the lot of all Ger.
maue, at least Of all North Germans, with
the result that initiative 10 crippled.
Yet il the German workman Is de.
pendent he il also industrious and plod
ding He ia not quick. yet no ono can turn
out better work il the right tools. the right
material and time enough are allowed
n indeed one we're 10 Judge him by the
sombre pictures painted of him by reac-
tionary politicians whose imaginations
are disturbed by the progress Of socialism
and by its hold upon the masses OF the
people We should have To conclude that
the German workman has lost moral
euuilibrium. that he now lacks principle
and that at present his sole aim Ia the
ruin of the industries and manufactures
by which he lives, According 10 MIR
Dawson such an estimate IL strangely
belied by the economic development
which has been contemporary with the
growth of socialism, The fine examples
Of modern architecture which are TO be
seen in every large town, the museums
of industrial art. the very shop windows
Of every street, furnish evidence that
the German workmsns skill and con-
scientiousness were never greater than
now. and that however bitter the rela-
tionship between capital and labor may
he, the Industrial foundations OF the
country as laid during the last thirty
years have been laid we'll and truly and
that the fahric.which 10 rising above them
ia worthy Of the pioneer work that went
before
The author goes on TO say that no Eng
iishman can visit n German industrial
town and look at the workmen in the
streets and at their employments without
bong impressed by a certain neatness in
their appearance and certain smartness
in their bearing which he does not recall
~ Characteristic Of the working classes
at home. Certainly the difference ia not
the outcome of better wages. Can il
perhaps be the result Of more drastic
school regime? Is industrial Germany
taught from its earliest years to cultivate
n cleanly exterior, an alert presence and
a respectful demeanor? Certain II 10
that the German boy Of the working class
In general exhibits a respectfulness and
sslf-restraint. the German girl a modesty
anc absence Of ostentation, which are not
equally characteristic Of English youth
belonging to the same social rank. and
foi this the schools which still cling to the
old maxim that children should be seen
ana not heard may unquestionably claim
large share Of credit
or course between youth and manhood
there is time enough for forgetting many
Of the wholesome lessons OF school life,
but here is where the German method
Of man making differs from the English;
in Germany the system Of universal con-
scription intervenes 10 bridge over the
,riticai interval between youth and full
manhood. The military training TO which