El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1915-03-20
!. Bernhard on the German and British War
Germans Great Conflict

tied world-dominion eats up the mar
row of the people that underLahe II
and does not strengthen them Long
ago we realized also that the progress
OF civilization cannot rest upon the ma
terfaI or intellectual attachments OF a
single nation; that on the contrary
spiritual and an intellectual cOmpeu-
ton Of varied national individualities
requisite TO the attainment Of the
highest aims of humanity.
II victory should come TO US as the
progress OF the war thus far permits
us TO hope, we, OF course, VIII re
anxious to strengthen the position and
power Of our own nation and that OF
our allies and friends in Europe in
such a way that our existence as
state and our independence will never
again be threatened, as it has been
threatened in this war. Shis we owe
to the countless fallen heroes who
have shed their blood for Germany's
future. In what way that is TO be
done cannot as yet De told 1t depends
entirely upon the course Of the events
Of the war
Not as OppressOrs-
One thing, however, is certain. We
shall never try TO erect our power up
on the shoulders Of oppressed and sub
jugated states.
1t is Just as certain. also. that we
should never think OF assuming an
autagOnistic attitude toward America.
much less dream OF questioning the
Monroe Doctrine. What advantages
could we possibly expect from such
behavior Missionaries talk Of the con-
quest Of Canada by the Germans and
OF the acquisition OF other colonies
upon the continent
How could such dreams. even II they
were for a moment cherished, possibly
be carried out2 II we are so happy
as to achieve an outlook for enduring
peace at home are We 10 sacrifice the
aQFantages OF victory py a poncy or
wild adventure abroad
Whence would come the enormous
fleets necessary in order TO carry out
an attack necessary against the enOr-
nous resources Of the United States, or
to maintain across the broad Atlantic
a contact Of communication between
an attacking army and the home coun-
try A soldier finds il very difficult,
indeed, seriously to consider such
ideas, which are the creation OF
thoughtless prejudice and blinded
hatred Politically an absurdity, and
from the military viewpoint a ridicu-
lous impOssibility. dreams like this
belong only to the sphere Of bar-roOm
discussion
Menace to America.
And the idea that the socalled Ger
man militarism-Which, as a matter Of
fact, is an eXtraTagant name for
system Of citizen soldiery-might, in
danger for the world in general, and
especially for the American continent
. is equally groundless
The German social and state idea.
with its grouping together Of the
military forces Of the country, like the
Wel-planned organization Of our civil
life, was born in the dangers which
Z inhera in our geographical position
No educated German viii entertain the
thought Of attempting to impose on
other states, or 70 picture as patterns
I applicable TO all states conditions es-
pecially required by our peculiar cir
cumstances. TO force similar institu-
tions upon states the geographical DO-
sitiOns OF which, and the economical
and political structures OF which, are
I OF different compilations. The social
| and constitutional conditions, which