The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1914-10-24
THE GERMAN VIEW
Ninety-Three Noted Scientists,
Literary Men and Musicians
join i'm Remarkable Address to
I the Civilized World.

Prominent newspapers are recetv-
| ing from Berlin an extraordinary doc
ument. with names attached. being
signed apparently by ninety-three of
/ the most distinguished scientists. lit
erary men, musicians and philoso-
pliers of Germany, some OF the most
illustrious men now living. Among
the signers are Behring. discoverer of
| diphtheretic anti-toxin; Ehrlish. dis
coverer Of salvarsan; Wassermann'
another distinguished medical inveStt-
gator; Harnack, author OF What Is
| Christianity?" and other great theO-
| logical works; Lamprecht and Meyer,
| the world famous historians; Eucken
and Windelband and Wundt, the
great philosophers; Haeckel and
Nernst and OSWALD and Rontgen.
whose scientific discoveries are known
throughout the world; Hauptmann
and Sudermann, well known men of
; letters. The communication might be
regarded as an answer to the recently
issued statement, signed by forty-one
of England'S best known writer's, de-
claring England's cause in the great
war a Just one.
The article Is addressed ITO the Civ
ilized World" and reads:
1T is not true that Germany is guilty
of having caused this war. Neither
the people, the government nor the
utmost to prevent it; for this asser-
ton the world has documental proof.
Often enough during the twenty-six
years Of his reign Wilhelm II has shown
himself to be the upholder Of peace and
often enough has this fact been ac-
even the kaiser, whom they now dare
| to call an Attila, has been ridiculed by
them for years because of his steadfast
endeavors to maintain universal peace.
! Not till a numerical superiority, which
has been lying in wait on the frontiers
, assailed us did the whole nation rise
to a man.
TT is not true that we trespassed in
neutral Belgium. 1t has been proved
that France and England had resolved
on such a trespass, and it has like
wise been proved that Belgium had
agreed to their doing SO. 1t would
have been suicide on our part not to
have been beforehand.
| 1T is not true that the life and prop
erty of a single citizen were injured
by our soldiers without the bitterest
self defense having made it necessary
for again and again Notwithstanding
repeated threats the citizens lay in am
bush. shooting at the troops out of the
houses, mutilating the wounded and
numbering in cold blood the medical
men while they were doing their samar-
1tan work. There can be no baSer abuse
than the suppression Of these crimes,
with the view of letting the Germans
appear to be criminals. only for having
Justly punished these assassins for
their wicked deeds.
1T is not true that our troops treated
Louvain brutally. Furious Inhabitants
having treacherously fallen upon them
in their quarters. our troops, with ach-
ing hearts, were obliged to fire a part
of the town as a punishment. The
OraafoCf Of T o}vp ~
served. The famous town hall stands
quite intact. for a great sacrifice our
soldiers saved it from destruction by
the flames. Every German would of
course regret If in the course Of this
terrible war any works Of art should
already have been destroyed, or be
destroyed at some future time, but in
asmuch as in our love for art we cannot
be surpassed by any other nation in
the same degree we must decidedly
refuse to buy a German defeat at the
cost OF saving work of art.
u 1t is not true that our warfare
pays no respect to international laws
It knows no undisciplined cruelty. But
In the east the earth is saturated with
the blood Of women and children un.
mercifully butchered by the wild Rus
sian troops and in the west dum-dum
bullets mutilate the breats of our SOL
dters. Those who have allied them.
selves with Russians and Servians, and
present such a shameful scene to the
world as that of melting mongolians
and negroes against the white race
have no right whatever to call them
selves upholders of civilization.
1T Is not true that the combat
against our so-called militarism is not
a combat against our civilization al
our enemies hypocritically pretend
it Is. Were It not for German mill.
tarism German civilization would lone
, since have been extirpated. For 1t.
protection it arose in a land which fol
centuries had been plagued by bands
Of robbers as no other land has been
The German army and the German
people are one and today this con-
seriousness fraternizes seventy millions
Of Germans. all ranks, positions and
parties being one.
I've cannot wrest the poisonous
weapon-the He-out Of the hands Of
our enemies. All we can do II to pro
claim to the world that our enemie,
are giving false witness against US
You who know us, who with us have
protected the most holy possession
Of man, we call to you:
''Have faith in us. Believe that w
shall carry on this war to the end q
} q civilized nation to whom the legacy
of a Goethe. a Beethoven and Kant Il
just as sacred as its own hearths and