Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1914-09-22
WORLD TO PATTERN
GERMAN CULTURE,
SAYS NOTED WRITER
Gerhardt II a auptm a mn
Praises Germany and At
tacks England for Calling
Japan to Bite at Europe's
Heel"
BY GERHART HAuPTMANN
German poet and drdmattSt, ,cinper Of the Nobel
pr,2e for literature in 1919 and author Of
Die IerSunkene GloCke," Die Weber"
"El0a' and other publications.
NEW YORK, Sept. %

"EiGG" aud other publications.
NEW YORK, Sept. %.
We are an eminenuy peaceaole nation.
The shallow Partsian feuilletonist Berg
son may call US barbarians as much as
he pleases. The great poet and deuded
ga!lomaniac Maeterlnck may impose
upon US similar nice titles after having
called us the conscience of Europe"
The world knows that we are an old
civilized nation.
Nowhere IS the idea of cosmopolitan
rooted deeper than with us. Look at
our literature of translations and name
! me nation which Is trying Just as hard
as we to render justice to the spirit and
the originality of other nations so as
to thoroughly understand their soul. Did
not Maeterlnck win most OF his glory
and his money with us? For a parlor
philosophaster like Bergson of course,
there is no room in the country of Kant
and Schopenhauer.
l say II frankly. We have and we had
no hatred against France We have idol
lied the plastic art. sculpture, pictorial
art and the literature OF that country.
For the worldwide recognition of Rodin
the Way was paved in Germany. We ad-
nli-e Anatole France. Manpassant, Flau-
bert and Balzac are read in Germany
like German authors. We feel a deep
affection for the national life Of southern
France. Enthusiastic admirers Of Nnstral
can be found even in small German cities
among the poorer population.
SHOULD BE FRIENDS.
It Is TO be greatly regretted that Ger
many and France could not be political
friends They should have been. since
thSy are the administrators Of the Con-
tinentsl productions of the mind and
since they are the two great thorough
cultured European master nations. Fate,
however, wanted II different. In the
year 1870 the German tribes through
fighting obtained for themselves the Ger
man unity and the German Empire.
These achievements guaranteed to our
nation an epoch OF peace for moro than
40 years, a time of budding. OF growing.
Of strengthening, Of thriving, OF fruit
bearing unparalleled.
Out Of population becoming more and
more numerous there arose moro and
more numerous indlv!dualities, In
dividual energy and general elasticity
created the great achievements OF our
Industry, of our commerce and OF our
transportation systems, | do not be-
lleve that an American, English. French
or Italian traveller ever believed himself
among barbarans while visiting German
families, German cities. German hotels,
German ships. German concerts, Ger
man theatres Beyreuth. German libraries
Or German museums We have Travelled
IN other countries and We have always
welcomed any stranger,
OF course, our geographical situation,
with threatening Powers In the East and
West compelled us 10 look out for the
safety Of our house. For this reason,
and for this reason only, our army ana
our navy were organized, Into this or
SarizatioN the current Of German indus
try, efficiency and inventive power was
directed N a great extent Al the pres
snt time We know better than We have
ever konwn before that this measure
vas n very necessary one
But Kaiser Wilhelm, supreme KTieRE-
herr Of the Empire, did love the peace
from the very bottom of his soul and did
keep the peace. our Well-trained army
was established for no other purpose
tnan for defense. We wanted 10 DO pre-
pared against threatening assaults. /
repeat, the German nation, the German
princes Kaiser Wilhelm, all Of them, had
no other thought IN maintaining the army
and navy than 20 safeguard the beehive
Df the Empire, the industrious, rich ac-
tiyity u peace,
HOPED TO KEEP PEACE.
Without being boastful, simply express
ing my deepest conviction, ] say that it
always has been a favorite idea Of the
Kaiser 10 which he c!ung with heartfelt
enthusiasm, to keep to the end the blessed
epoch Of his Administration one Of aoso-
lutte peace II is not his, not our, fault
that IT turned out different
The war IN which ne are engaged
and which was forced upon Us Is a war
Of aefense. Whoever would dispute this
fact would have 10 do so against his
better knowledge. Look at the enemy
on the eastern, on the northern, on the
western frontier our blood fraternity
with Austria means for both countries
nothing less than self-preseryation. That
the sword was forced into our hand can
be plainly seen from the dispatches ex-
changed between the Emperor and the
Car and between the Emperor ana the