El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1915-03-20
zen.

precipitation OF the hoEl4- var now
raging in Europe rested on him. be-
cause Of his writings. He stated the
belief that England had long been de-
rermined 10 crush Germanys rise 10
prevent by any means possible any eN-
tension Of Germany's power. and that
because Of this attitude on the part OF
England. war was inevitable He said
Germany could not be accused Of de-
string the war, because she was as
good as powerless against England,
owing 10 the latter's possession Of a
war fleet three times as strong as
Germany's', making it manifestly i'm
possible for Germany TO land any
great military force on British shores.
construction Of his widely discussed
books, Germany and the Next War"
and Our Future" and concluded the
instalment by stating positively that
Germany had no idea Of world do
minIon-'l
TN German schools. Greek and Latin
history is taught more thoroughly
\ than German history; and when
German history is taught it is always
pointed out how the German nation.
with its one-time tendency toward
TrOrld-dominion, had strayed from its
proper paths; the chief interest OF the
present in German history Is found
not in those false tendencies, but rarh-
er in the contest against the idea OF
a dominating religious Empire. It IS
the memory Of the struggle for spirit
ual freedom, and not the worldly aims
OF the earlier imperial days, that are
today able to stir 70 its depths the
soul Of the German people
Just as erroneous as is the effort TO
prove the vanished middle age idea OF
empire a living thing in modern Ger
many are professor Cramb's ideas as
TO the religious tendencies which move
our people today. Here, too, one no.
tees the intention TO find among Ger
mans the disposition to violence; for
instance, TO picture our politics as in
duenced by Nietzsche's master and
slave morality" and to be permeated
by the Napoleonic thought Of world
conquest All this is the most absolute
perTersion OF the truth
An OverestfmntiOn.
Professor Cramb overestimateS ire
mendously the influence Of NietzsChe
in Germany. This writer's attempt to
supplaut the altruistic morals OF Chris
tianity by the ethics Of egOtism and
self-striving. the morality consisting
OF the self-assertiOn Of superior NOR
tails, is, il is perfectly true, being
studied in Germany. It is absurd,
however, TO claim that the teachings OF
Nietzsche have overwhelmed the con-
science of the German people or that
they influence German politics Such
an assertion could only be made by
one who lacks all comprehension Of the
herman AAlAln ana ne mas Oily 4EdLAE4
10 know, and that specifically, an iso-
lated circle Of sO-caIled young Ger
many" politically and philosophically
more or less unripe,
Even more adventurous than this
oVerestimaLiOn of kietZSche yet in
close connection with IL, is the inven-
IiOn Of "Napoleonism." which is pic
Iured as ruling Berlin today and az
possessing in the atmosphere Of that
city something OF the clearness and
81 Of = Ia tod
is asserted that a deep reverence is
growing up in Germany for the creed
and the religion" toward which this
great and solitary spirit strug-
gled- And the professor rises to a
phrase which. however resOunding, is
If one knows Germany, altogether alb
Surd- corsica, IN g word, has con-
Quered Galilee" Where. except in his
own brain, can Professor Cramb posi-
bly, have discovered these ideas?
No NaPOIeOnfsm-
In Germany, as a matter Of fact,
there is no Napole0nism, in Prof.
Cramb's sense. at all. As a general,
we admire BOnaparte- for his mental
powers we esteem him: and as soldiers
We try TO learn from him; hut for his
ego-religlon. which, II is true, bears
certain resemblance TO Nietzsche's
1deas-in Germany, aside perhaps from
Few unripe spirits and youthful sky
stormers, there can be found no appre-
cation The creed is absolutely op-
posed TO the German idea, TO which
everywhere service to the cause stands
superior to service TO the person, in
which altruism has become second ma
rure- in which true greatness is ex-
hlblted in honest work and in unset
Ilsh devotion 10 ideal aims. opposed
absolutely 10 the German nature,
winch since the amazing DEVELOPMENT
Of the Prussian state and the coincf-
dent revival OF the German empire, has
learned Iorttude in misfortune and
generosity in victory, has learned self
control from its long past. marked by
tragic disaster and splendid success.
and today follows only aims within the
realm OF possibility.
Desire for Religious Freedom.
Ihere is indeed penetrating the best
IS not, however, one which finds its ex-
preston either in NapoIeonism or in
the ideas OF Nietzsche, but in truly
religious field; in the striving Of the
lndiFldua1 Tor spiritual freedom This
surviving Iinds It's Inspiration in Chris
tan morals from which the husks OF
Dygone time have been stripped. and
IN an enlightened patriotism. a deter.
mined resolution to secure for the Ger
man nation that position ALONGSIDE OF
the other great cultural nations which
corresponds 10 its spiritual import
snce- Neither a new world religion
nor new world-dominiou is sought IN
Germany.
II one MAGlG6 10 describe Inc Ter
man idea in brief words probably il
can hardly be better done than by
those OF LOngfelloW:
Not enjoyment and not sorrow
Is our destined end or way.
But TO act that each tomorrow
Find US farther than today.
Let us then be up and doing
With a heart for any fate,
Still achieving, still pursuing
Learn 70 labor and 10 wait"
Prof. Cramb's book, in so far as Il
processes 10 be a description OF Ger
man conditions and an exhibition Of
the German idea, is a falsehOod from
beginning TO end, a falsehOOd set forth
in brilliant words. and in part pOssi-
bly, an unconscious falsehood, but
falsehOOd nevertheless.
Prof Cramb in Error.
Just as in pretending 10 judge Ger
many, Prof Cramb falls into COM
plete error, so. when he considers
England. does he exhibit peculiar illu-
sions. Here he displays a picture,
shining. ideal magnificently conceived,
sketched in scintillant verbiage. But
yet one is obliged again. and again TO
ask oneself whether, in the face OF
naked truth. he could really have be-
lieTed what he wrote in pages Ike