TaÌˆgliches Cincinnatier volksblatt. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1885-1919, 1914-11-26

ger who lived in Germany the pas
summer knows how deeply our peopl'
were engaged in works of peace ant
how remote from their minds was tn,
thought of war Of conquest.
The development of Germany's mill
tary power was, moreover, not at al
opposed to her cultural work. Mill
tary service, with its educating influ
ence, is rather to be considered as o
large part of the cultural work. Where
universal conscription exists and where
every one considers it an honor to
serve the fatherland arms in hand
there no contrast can develop between
the army and the people, because the
people and the army are one. Further
more, a thorough scientific education
is required for every one who chooses
higher military career, and the heads
OF our officers corps belong to the most
highly educated men in Germany, be.
ing in close touch with science and art.
Let attention be further drawn for a
correct understanding of the German
character to the fact that in no coun-
try is SO much done for training and
education and that scientific and artis-
tic achievements are nowhere SO high
ly honored as in Germany. Our sehol-
ars are in close connection with our
national life, and particularly In the
present war have they all expressed
their complete allegiance to the com
mon fatherland, and many OF them
hurried into the field in order to serve
the fatherland with their weapons.
Thus it is foolish to distinguish be-
tween the intellectual and military Ger
many. Both activities are inseparable
parts of common German life which
finds its true greatness in a eombina.
ton OF power and intelligence.
1T rs CHARAC CTERlSTIC OF common
natures to become abusive when they
are defeated in argument, and We re-
get to observe that leaders Of Ameri-
can intellectual life are ineensed at
what they call German insolence in
trying to force their opinions of the
events in Europe on their American fell
low citizens, in assuming an air OF
superior knowledge and making in
sulting comparisons between American
and German civilization. Now, We can
say that We have read almost every
thing that has been written by Germans
and native Americans in defense Of
Germany and we have failed to meet
with a single instance of such super
The Germans repel the
charge Of barbarsm, they dispute the
charge of cruel treatment to Belgium,
they maintain that Germany was not
the originator OF the war, and that
defeat OF Germany would be a great
detriment to culture and civilization.
This is certainly no attempt TO bully
the American people, but an endeayor
to plead the cause OF truth and justice.
If It is contended that all what the
Germans and their American defenders
have said and may still say, will not
convince the American people, such |
opinion, If it be correct, does not prove
that the Germans have not the best |
OF the facts and the arguments, but
that it is extremity difficult for one
nation to justly appreciate the other,
and the correctness OF this view is con
firmed by the experience of the Ameri-
can people when they were just as
grossly misrepresented as are the Ger.
mans at this day. We refer to the war
Of rebellion and the state OF English
public opinion at that time. Abraham
Lincoln was vilified in the same way
as is Emperor William. The people OF
the North were branded as barbarians,
butchers and what not. Such exper-
ence ought to be kept in mind by the
people when passing Judgment
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