Evening star., 1914-10-04
.LAUDS GERMANS
ASPEACE LOVERS
Viscount Bryce Declares War
Not Wanted by Bulk
of Teutons.
SAYS SMALL COUNTRIES
ADVANCE CULTURE MOST
Their Protection, He Asserts, Is
Duty of More Powerful-Cites
Bernhardi's Doctrine.
Special cablegram to The Star.

LoNDON, october S.-In an article
contributed to the Daily Chronicle. Wis.,
count Bryce. former British ambassa-
dor to Washington, says:
The present war has had some unex-
pected consequences. It has called the
attention of the world outside of Ger
many to some amazing doctrines pro-
claimed there. which strike at the root
Of all international morality as well as
Of international law, and which threat
en- a return to primitive savagery,
when every tribe was wont to plunder
and massacre its neighbors.
These doctrines may be found set
forth in the widely circulated book of
Gen. Won Bernhard. entitled Germany
and the Next War. published in 1911
and protesting to be mainly based on
the teachings of the famous professor
of history, Heinrich Won Treitschke.
To readers in other countries, and, l
trust, to most readers in Germany also,
they will appear to be an outburst OF
militarism run mad-the product Of a
brain intoxicated by love Of war and
by superheated national self-con-
sciousness.
They would have deserved little no
tice, much less refutation, but for one
deplorable fact, namely. that action
has recently been taken by the govern
ment Of a great nation Though. as we
hope and trust, without the approval of
| that nation) which is consonant with
them and seems to imply a belief In
their Soundness.
This fact is the conduct Of the Ger
| man imperial government in vfolat-
ing the neutrality OF Belgium, which
Prussia, as well as Great Britain and
France. had solemnly guaranteed by
treaty (made in 1889 and renewed In
1870 by invading Belgium, when she
refused to allow the German armies to
pass, although France, the other bel
ligerent, had explicitly promised not to
enter Belgium, and in treating Belgian
cities and people. AGAINST whom she
| ness unprecedented in the history OF
| modern European warfare.
Doesn't Blame German People.
whoever held these doctrines I do
not for a moment attribute them to
the learned class in Germany. for
whom have profound respect. recog-
nizing their immense services to
science and learning. nor to the bulk
of the civil administration, a body
whose capacity and uprightness are
known to all the world, and. least OF
ALL to the German people generally.
That the latter hold no such views
appears from Bernhardrs own words.
for he repeatedly complains of and de-
plores the pacific tendencies of his fell
low-countrymen.
Nevertheless, the fact that the action
referred to which these doctrines seem
to have prompted. and which cannot
be defended except by them, has been
actually taken, and has thus brought
into this war Great Britain, whose in
terests and feelings made her desire
n a
tion to them and to all that they in
volve
1T have certainly no prejudice in the
matter, for 1 have been one of those
who for many years labored to promote
good relations between the German
and English people that ought to be
friendly and that never before had
been enemies, and I had hoped and be-
lieved. till the beginning of August
last, that between them. at least. there
would be no war. because Belgian neu-
trality would be respected.
Nor was it only for the sake Of Brit
ain and Germany that the English
friends of peace sought to maintain the
good feeling we had hoped, as some
friendliness with Germany might en-
able Britain. with the cooperation of
the United States. our closest friends,
many and of France, with whom we
were already on good terms and to so
improve their relations as to secure the
general peace of Europe.
Germans UNIFORMED.
Into the causes which frustrated
these efforts and SO suddenly brought
on this war I will not enter. Many
others have dealt with them. Moreover
the facts. at least as we in England see
and believe them, and as documents
IN IN he
to be known to the German people, and
the motives of the chief actors are not
yet fully ascertained.
"One thing. however. I can confidently
rivalry nor jealousy Of German power
that brought Britain into the field. Nor
was there any hatred among the British
people for the German people. nor any
wish to break their power.
Leading political thinkers and histori-
ans of England have given hearty SYM
pathy to the efforts made by the German
people from 1915 to 1866 and 1870 to
attain political unity. and they have SYM
pathized with the parallel efforts of the
Italians. The two nations, German and
British, were of kindred race, and, linked
by many ties to the German people, even
now we feel no sort of enmity against
them.
In both countries there were doubt
less some persons who desired war
and whose writings, apparently design
ed to provoke II, did much to misrep.
resent the general national sentiment.
But these persons were, as I believe. a
small minority in both countries So
far as Britain was concerned. it was
the invasion of Belgium that arrested
all efforts to avert war and made the
friends of peace themselves Join in
holding that the duty of fulfilling their
treaty obligations toward weak state
was paramount to every other consid-
Grafton.
1.-The small states. whose ABSORPTION
is now threatened. have been potent
and useful. perhaps most potent and
useful, factors in the advance of civili-
zation. 1t is in them and by them that
most of what is most precious in re-
ligion, in philosophy, in literature, in
science and in art has been produced.
Small Countries Contribution.
1.-The first great thoughts that brought
man into true relation with God came
from the tiny people inhabiting a coun-
try smaller than Denmark. The re-
ligions of mighty Babylon and popu-
lous Egypt have vanished. The re-
ligion of Isarel remains in its earlier
as well as In that later form which has
overspread the world. The Greeks
were a small people. not united in one
state, but scattered over coasts and
among hills. in petty city communities.
each with its own life, slender in num-
bers, but eager, versatile. intense, they
gave us the richest, most varied and
most stimulating of all literature.
al