Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1914-12-03


are constantly impressed with his rough
er standard Of manners and living. He
takes his own world with him.
Those of us who know Berlin and its
modern architecture can better understand
the wanton destruction of those glorious
French and Pelglan cathedrals churches
the university and library. and the lovely
old houses and sec why there Is no pro-
test by German lovers of beauty
How futile to say, now that Germany
has spoken her mind so all may hear.
that this wanton waste Of brave and
needed mems lives the stun on which we
had hoped to build stately mansions" for
the soul is the work OF the Kaiser and
the Prussan Junker clique. They simply
represent the national consciousness and
that consciousness is no more marked to-
day, because It rs clad in hell-fire" than
It was half-century ago To lose the
love for liberty Is to lose hold on spir-
itual life The last clear call In the
world stirring of 1S4s was unheeded, and
from that hour the fate of Prussia was
scaled: she was Joined to her idols, and
has steadily pursued the course which
is the sorrow Of the civilized world to-
day.
some Of us remember the war with lit
tie Denmark and the tearing from her
of Schleswig- Holstein, then the war with
Austria for supremacy. and the real be-
ginning of the present conflict the Fran
co Prussan war. Whatever provocation
or smoldering hatred there might have
been. It was Bismarck's lie that precipit-
ated that war OF that lie, Bismarck
boosted. and the Prussians have never
repented. Germany conquered France
! overwhelmingly, she was PROSTATE under
that iron heel, she was to stagger under
the utmost indemnity that could be ex-
acted That was not enough. there must
! be added humiliation, so came the crown
ing of william, German emperor, in the
old palace at Versailles instead of at
Berlin or at Koenigsberg, the old capt.
tai. Gould 1t have entered into the heart
or mind of our Lincoln or Grant to add
this insult to n beaten foe? In the arch
bishop of Canterbury's prayer for peace,
he says, Keep from arrogance or
feebeness, give us gentleness in vicNry
and patience in reverses." Was this ever
the petition of a Hohenzollern?
/ had personal observation OF the con-
duct of the victor to the PROSTATE foe. 7
was in France and in Alsace, in 1871 and
again later; twice in Metz. | have never
seen such arrogant and galingly tri-
umphant faces as those Of the officers.
! They came in and out of the smaller no.
tells walked the streets with looks that
made you feel If you had been French,
you must have killed them, or yourself.
And in Metz. the ringing Of that iron heel
/ Al. a
that you felt the Infringing Of your whole
outlook on life. And does not the over
40 years of the occupation of the con-
quered territory. prove the truth of that
old impression?
Among these impressions of 1871. how
strange Il seemed to the freight cars
labeled to carry so many horses. many
men-"dumb driven cattle"
And now, there comes over and over
again the question, what has the nation
done to itself, why has it sold itself for n
mess of pottage. or what is the wedge OF
Achan." it has in its camp that has
brought this overthrow Of moral values
Why did not that splendid product. Lu-
theirs Bible, do for them what the trans
lations of Wycliffe and Tyndal. and the
King James version, did for the English
speaking peoples? Wherever England
went. however she got there. however she
fought to keep, she has left the seeds OF
! liberty, has left freedom even to dis
crimnate against her in trade, and also
left freedom to make great offering tc
her need and to the needs of all civilized
nations, Put the Kaiser and the German
people as shown to-day. in one camp, nnd
. h. la 90 = H. lyit icI nj ~
the United States in another. and who
should hesitate where to stand
We have had much talk OF restricting
immigration, proposing to accept only
those who might be Of advantage to us
trying to discriminate against those who
would be dangerous to our democratic up
ward march. and have welcomed the Ger
man immigrant as thrifty, law-abiding
good citizen.i in short Now, one is tempt
ed to ask the question what are they In
trinscally contributing to our civiliza
ton? Is It Just form of materiallsm
decent, law-abiding, but without the up
lifting note which we used to fancy they
were giving us?
America will soon be facing her great
temptation, her great opportunity, wher
she stands as the one solidly prosperou:
nation among the big nations Of thu
world reaping through increased produc
ton. the harvest sown Of the woes ant
SORROWS OF sister peoples, entering into
forfeited markets. sitting at the seat Of
custom" VIII our fellowcitizens from
lands over the sea help us to meet witt
spiritual force this overwhelming task
and test? Will they leave old-word ma
terialism. oldworld hatreds and helI
bring in the world where lives righteous
ness? Will they. with us, look out on {
world Of peaceful, generous activity. o
gentle practice, a nobler one than Goethe
had in mind, when Faust said to the houl
of release. "Oh, stay, thou art so fair
L. S. w. Perkins Concord, Mass
DISEASE MORE DANGEROUS THAN