The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-10-11
n, IN. BERNHARD DERNBuRG.


a general education abroad
thor, were two books that then had
newly appeared which guided me in my
endcavors to become familiar with
American ideals and institutions One
book was Carl Schurzs Henry Clay"
and the other James Bryce's The
American Commonwealth" Both books
made very deep impressions on me. and
] fe.t indebted to the authors ever since
Mr. Bryce's splendid career has now
found a fitting end in his being called
into the House OF Lords. but his love
and his lkings are still American, as
are some Of his ideals. And so he has
now let himself be heard in the New
York press on the all pervadng topic
Of the war.
Mr.. Bryce has been against the war
He has worked fer many years in the
interest ~ good understanding be-
tween Germany and England and has
given TO this task much time and
thought ! have come across his work
often enough. For FIVE years and more
] have been annually visiting England,
receiving English visitors OF all walks
Of lfs with the one purpose. and. as
can say without indiscretion with the
trying Poo smooth out the somewhat ruff
f'd relations and put the two peoples.
tho strongest in Europe. on a friendly
bass. .u an sincerity and with no ute
iior aims so what has happened has
hem great disappointment to Lord
R~vce leo myself and to the German
Cow umeat. and | can well understand
tho 'f,lurst ~ the Imperial Chancellor.
>
m" p" l'y go which he had devoted him
scf snuc his accession to Office had
~. down like a house Of cards.
a. hat is the attitude OF most we'll
NJ '.r- Germans; | dare say of the
r. . majority of my people; and OF its
Go Imcnt. | can. as a member of the
German Ministry for four years and as
? close friend of most OF the members
~ ,'r urcs nj Administration. vouch for
ms fact. ] have got to say this be-
canso .lr. Bryce, in his admirable argu-
men lakes his text from the book If
Won Bernhard. which has been widely
circulated IN this country as proving
me reckless, hostile and immoral sense
of Oh" German people; that they believe
might Is right; that they revel In the
greatness Of war. which made them the
authors Of the present world struggle.
And can say to Lord Bryce what he
himself. I'm his great endeavor for fair
ness, hints at, that neither Won Bern
hard. nor the followers OF the school Of
Trftschke nor the disciples OF Neitzsche
arc the guiding spirits Of the con-
sc!ertous and painstaking men that
conduct the affairs OF Germany.
Neither are their teachings the Cos
pol NJ the German voter-fully one
third OF the German population, as rep
resented by the ballot, is Socialist. has
ueve. voted a budget on account Of the
war expenditure contained therein: has
been preaching internationalism, repub-
lean IDEAS and a state of the future on
'pmmunstic lines. More than one-third
~ the German population Is Catholic,
politically organized for the uphold
ing ot the equal rights Of Catholics
with Protestants true children to their
Roman Church. They are certainly not
imhued with the un-Christian idea Of
The superman, and I, therefore, do not
consider Lord Bryce justified in con.
Meeting the German people. and its at
o'ude toward the war with Mr.. Won
Bernhard and men cited by him.
The book when II appeared Of course
made some stir in Germany, but 1t was
widely condemned for its very extreme
views aud as likely to lead to some mis-
understanding Of the German feeling.
Cen, Won Bernhard. who is not a
common personality, thought he had
reason TO write his book because Of the
eNeinlndte tendencies that he saw In
Germany; because of the materialistic
Trend Of life and tho strife for wealth
mat he observed; because of the lack
of proportion between the growing Ger
man population and its territory; be-
cause OF the small share she had In
such countries oversee that might lend
themselves to colonization or could Sc
cure trade. lie saw how this world
had been divided up since 1870; how the
French, with $4,000, 900 inhabitants in
the home country and 100000 square
miles had been adding an over
ba empire OF nearly 100000 square
miles and nearly 10000, 900 people
now England, having 100000 pop
uIation in the home country and
iZcpOo square miles, had been adding
S'2ooOO0 square miles with about o.,
10000 people in the same period: how
Russia had taken nearly all Of the con-
''' ''' W .NHld UOIln OF tne ntulTHllly
mo drawn by the English Russian
u't'y OF 1907; how Japan had been
counting IT'S territory in habltable and
'er'i" country and gaining influence
over twice as much in Manchuria, which
" practically controls; how even Bel
gum Of only II 1000 square miles and n
non" population Of 1900, 900, acquired
me 4 0ngo, with 100000 square miles
ana 'ooo.O00 natives while Germany
WIN -'> 600 square miles at home and
''''' GOO people. got about 100000
l'''" miles with a population OF
'"".'''o people, almost all of which
was tropical land unfit for colonization,
n"' M y arid land unfit for production.
KIN" thc story of that struggle be-
'' lave stood In II,
wrong 10 accuse Germany OF
..s u.iGhhors' territory, but in
GuV,H acquired by Europeans
$40 she had not her due share
was in England talking good
".' trd,ng' my friends used to say:
''i Yell ~, it's all very well. bu:
'A with your fast increasing popula
WOW 't.0oo0OO, where formerly only
'''''op lived, you will overflow some
u.y 'nd that Is tho day We are afraid
Hnt when, in reply To this argu
il'n' Germans sought to get some share
IN ~" undivided part OF the world. gel