The Washington times., 1915-07-26
ONE YEAR OF WAR IN EUROPE.
AS SEEN IN GERMANY.
BY CARL w. ACKERMAN,

BERLIN. July 8.-Germany looks
back upon her accomplishments of
the first year Of the war with salts
faction. The Germans believe the
events of the past twelve months
have demonstrated to the world that
the Teutons are the mghtiest race Of
all history. No other country could
have withstood the combination of
world powers which Germany has
kept at bay since last August, de-
clare the Germans. and no other
country has ever SO. deeply stirred
the Imagination Of the world.
Germany has won her claim to a
place In the sun. The German EN-
pirc has added brilliant chapters to
the history of Teutonic might begun
under the Hohenzollerns of the
self has earned for himself the title
OF William the Great. which pos
teritv surely will bestow upon him.
These are the dominant beliefs of the
German people at the close OF the
first year of the war.
Germany has shown up the world
In all its littlenesses, and all It's
boastinEs OF false greatness. Only
the Germans themselves have with
stood the test Of blood and ron. for
only the Germans have gaiAed VIC
tories during the past rateful twelve
changed the whole future course OF
history. German influence upon the
future Of civilization for generations
to come will be far beyond the in
huence OF any other nation. Ger
many will not dominate the world by
her armed might. but by her virtues
which have given to her greater
capacity for organization and dis
cipline than all the rest Of Europe
combined possesses.
When the Germans look back to
last August and recall the threats
that then were being made against
them. and the penalties that were
Imposed by England. France and
Prussia In advance Of the trial Wy
battle. the nat on laughs. The world
didn't understand Germany last sum
mer. 1t Is beginning to learn now
that the Hohenzollern empire has
progressed during the years since
the Franco Prussian war in ways un-
suspected by the rest of mankind.
There 10 nothing in the German of
today that wasn't put there by the
discipline and study that the world
knows under the name Of Tcutonic
kultur.
The increasing respect paid to Ger
man ku!tur IS not one of the least
victories the Germans declare they
have Won for themselves during the
past year. Nothing came as q
greater shock to the Germans last
year than the way In which their
Kultur was derlded. The comments
passed upon Germany for her strong
belief in her own destiny. as repre-
sented by her ku.tur. caused more
resentment than anything else that
happened In the early days of the
war. The Germans indignation at
last changed to contempt as the idea
grew that the world laughed at Te,l-
been left 30 far behind by German
progress as to be unable to under
stand the German point Of view.
This opinion has grown as Ger
, on mlsfortunes. and to r.se to heights
of attainment capable OF meeting
every new task imposed upon the na-
ton. Each new victory on the bat
ternal organization has been regard
ed as one more proof that the Ger
mans really are the worlds super
men. German kultur is now
firmly believed to have conquered
al opposition. and to have estab-
verse conditions such as never before
have had to be encountered by the
aspirations OF any nation In al his
tory
Germany has shown no spirit in
the past year Of revolt against her
form OF government. Democracy and
absolutson have been in combination
against the German system of mix
toiS VI tuC l"o Hc IcSuil is Ut
clared by Germans to be such as to
increase the faith Of the Teutonic
Empire in its own governmental
methods. There probably will be a
more euuable division If electoral d. s.
tricts in Germany as the result OF the
war. and politica, parties Inay have
their representation In the reichstag
| seriously altered. but Germany is not
going to duplicate the British brand
Of democracy
The Germany people believe they
owe their existence as a nation to
the unprecedented capacity for or
| ganizat.on and discipline they have
! developed during the past year. The
| feeling has developed that british
democracy Is incapable Of reaching
and II the Germans had been gov
erned according to- the British system
! they would now be crushed and at
the mercy of their foes. The world
said during the early days c: the
war that Germany would emerge
! Germans are now laughing at that
| prediction. They declare the proph-
| esy must be read backward. and
democracy will have the GerInnnize
| itself II 1t Is to keep pace with Ger
mHny's progress in the future
Another carly rrophesy ~ Cor
manys enemies which Is now being
recalled with m!rth was the one
| processing to sec the certainty Of q
| German revolution before the war
had gone very long. AS matter OF
! fact the Franco-Prussiln war did
not solidify the people Of the cm-
| pre- as much rs this conflict has
| done All Germany r. now - ~ "
md has been increasing in sold darity
| from the first shot. Prussia has no,
| dominated the nation at all The
| South German states have shown ne
| jealousy OF the powerful northern
| nucleus Of the empire. The Prussiar
regiments. in fact. have not beer
the prize ones Of tho war. Catholic
! Bavaria has been the stnncheot sun
| porter OF the protestant Hohcn
zollern.