South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1915-07-06

~ Al
N/ they suddenly become so inhumanly
w cruel?~ Their honesty and decency
we're proverbial and served as a general model
Yet suddenly they repudiate the very elements
OF honesty and elevate into a principle dis
regard of all obligations and the utmost perhdy-
We knew them as virtuous. we bowed before
their moral discipline and suddenly they ex-
hibit 70 the world inhuman vices and unheard-
Of brutality.
Almost ali talk about the Germans to-day
turns on these questions. We are faced by
psychological puzzle unique in history. great
nation has suddenly reached a fatal limit
beyond which all its virtues and its positive
qualities-moral as we'll mental-come
abruptly to an end.
At this point all is changed and reversed;
the human being his thoughts and his moral
ity as well as his elementary prudence; culture
f.es away: brutality and unreason reign In Its
stead.
WHAT is this limit Of the German geniusT
To explain its nature is of more than theoret-
zeal interest for our success, now and in the
future In the struggle with Germany depends
to great extent on the question in how far
we understand and assmilate the vital lesson
that is here involved
In the first place what strikes til eye is that
all the German virtues are exhibited, in peace
time chiefly. and in wartime exclusively, toward
that parl OF humanity which subOrdinates itself
10 The interests of their country and their
Government; while all their vices-which are
now horrifying the world-are exhibited in
relation TO other countries and to other peo
pies 1t follows clearly that the root OF this
specific madness which has seized the Ger
mans consists in the popularity of their rela-
tiOns 10 their people, their country and their
Government. And it is here that we must seek
for the explanation of the fatal limitation OF
the spiri nal life OF contemporary Germany.
I'm Germany We Russians are struck by one
particular trait which we nO,ice directly we
cross the frontier, namely the general domino
ton of the State over the individual; his stern
control by the State and his reverent and al
most devotional attitude toward the State.
You feel that here man claims only that i'm
portance Tor himself which the State cOnfers
on him. Among us. in Russia, people are called
10y their own Christian names and patronymics,
but among the Germans. the Christian name
and the surname quite eclipsed by the an
nOuncement of the rank office or public func-
ito which indicates the mans position in the
State Just as we say Ivan Petrovch" or
Anna Iyanovna," the Germans say Herr tt
tuarrath,' Herr GUtsmesitZer," Frau MaJo-
rim" Frau GutsbesitZerin" even Frau
POstbeamtin." When it is difficult to find any
title defining persons post IN the State-soclal-
hierarchy one is invented. For instance, l
know a German who, not having any definite
business or post, called Herr Privatier,
approximately T.
In reply TO my question as TO the real meaning
of "Prvatier' l told that the title indi-
Gated person living his private means.
Most Of all. is struck by the Importance
attached in Germany to all distinctions
ceived from the Government In Russia one
feels rather shocked if any who has dis
tinguished himself a scientist or a professor
demands to be addressed not as Professor"
but as MIR. Privy Councillor" Among us even
State official. though he may be highly de-
lighted to receive an order, will consider it his
social duty TO reply 10 congratulations by say
ing. ooh, pray don't speak Of It," or It's not
worth while" 1t is therefore hard for us to
understand that an imnOrtant German savant
considers it his social Gdty such occasions
TO invite his friends 70 a dinner party. 1t hurts
US if a whose personality makes him
really remarkable, wishes above all things to
be regarded as a sort of NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS."
parsonage. Yet It seems quite natural TO a
German and even Goethe considered himself
honored by his title of "Geheimrath."
AS soon as one enters Germany one sees the
fact that the Government is the source OF
honor for him who serves it, depicted in the
figure of the station gendarme who meets you
at the custOm-house. He is particularly str1k
ing in contrast to our UnimpOsing-loOklngR Rus
sian gendarmes. Everything about a German
gendarme-his bristly mustaches, his hercely-
respectful eyes, and especially his condescend-
ing smile-prOclaims the importance OF the
service entrusted TO his care. OF similar
type is every Berlin policeman. And such is
the dominating type of officials everywhere IN
Germany, and especially in Prussia. On their
faces is depicted their veneratiOn for the State.
represented by their own persons. Their own
individuality is completely eclipsed by the
State; by their COuntenanCe and manner they
desire 10 impress on all with whom they come
IN contact one idea in partcular-namely, the
necessity of respecting the Government and
the frightfulness that may result from disre-
gaTding IT,
Especially wildly is this State-hypnotism ex-
pressed in the portraits Of its supreme repre-
sentative, the Kaiser who is copied by innum-
cradle civil and military officials; the enemies
OF the State are threatened with his extraordt
nary mustaches and big round eyes-which one
does not know whether to describe as inspired,
or ferOcious, or shocked in anticipation of some
possible infringement Of order Every one who
has been 10 Berlin of course knows that look,
not only from the portraits, but also from its
lnnumerable reproductions on the faces of bis
subjects. In Berlin every policeman and every
tramway conductor appears shocked in advance
by the possibility Of some infringement of or
aer Il is difficult to convey the irritation this
look produces; every one meeting it is inclined
10 Try whether infringement OF order will