The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-06-28
Finds Germany a Machine
Whose Energy Is Wasting
Neutral Correspondent of London "Times' Says
Wheels Must Stop When Central Source Is Ex-
hausted or Supply of Units Of Force Fails.


papers published the official report OF the
victory. which said that the Russian
lines had been pierced and some 10000
prisoners taken. The effect was painful.
II was accentuated by the homilies OF
the press upon the wrongfulness OF
being betrayed into un-German excuses
by reports OF victory.
Reports Came From Essen
These scenes occurred In most OF tae
towns throughout the empire. When
sad sobriety returned inquiry was made
into the origin OF the exaggerated state
ments. l was told that they came In
The first place from Essen and that
tnere had been n certain liveliness' on
the stock exchanges. Nothing more was
hcard-perhaps wisely.
In these circumstances II Is easy to
understand the German need FOR con-
slant reports OF victory n for the
denial of unfavorable news. The state
OF mind OF the German people during
the war will presently be AN interesting
field of investigation for students OF
| popular psychology. Attention should
then he paid to the singular contrast
between the ideas prevailing in the COM
paratively limited pan-German circles
and those OF the people in general. The
German people as n whole are una bic
to conceive hat their country should
have cherished aggressive designs. As
I rave said. the ''intellectuals' regard
tho war as mainly preventive" as a
war that might have been postponed
but that was bound to come. Germany.
they argue. could not have afforded to
let her enemies become Overwhelmingly
strong.
Blu for the masses IL Is a purely
defensive war. brought about by a
wanton attack OF Jealous foes upon tho
most peaceful country in the world.
Had not the Kaiser kept the peace
throughout his reign? The names or
Bernhardi. Frobenius and others are
simply unknown among the masses.
Some people may remember that the
Crown Prince congratulated Frobenius
on his book, but they know nothing or
the existence OF any reason why the
world should v believed IN German
aggressiveness. B~ernhardIs books are
not to be found among the war litera-
ture in the bookshops. Germans were
utterly astonlshcd to hear of the In
auence and circulation OF his writings
abroad IND OF the way in which the
war a proceeded at first along the
lines ne had indicated. This ignorance
extends even to the cultivated classes.
These sidelights on some aspects OF
the German mind arc not without I'm
portance In considering the working OF
tho German war machine. The people
are inspired by a uniform sense OF what
Is needful and by faith that their caus
Is absolutely justified. They take the!'
losses as n kin OF religious sacrifice
and trust in the future. They themselves
do their bit" by giving up every lux
ury ard rome neceesaries, by avoiding
all waste IND by preparing to endure
Whether this retrenchment be born OF
necessity or be prompted by the spirit
Of self-sacrince. the result is the Same
conduct the war with the utmost eni'
r!cncy.
New Lev1es Weak.
Yet the losses are beginning TO ten
The inferior stature and stamina Of TN
new levies are noticeable. The numbers
are still there. but the quality IL no
the same. Where the Germans score
apart from their actual military organ
~iEation. Is in their general spirit Of econ
omy n in their concentration OF ma
tional energy upon the successful pros
ecution OF tho struggle.
The contrasts between Germany ant
l England are striking and instructive
? One such is afforded by a comparison
, OF the wide and fertile lands OF England
where grass Is grow and broad park
| stretch for miles In wonderful summe
3 beauty. with the sandy soil OF Branden
I burg, where one travels mile upon mil
q through we'll cultivated fields oovere'
with green wheat and v and where oil
; folks and children plant every spar
! foot OF ground with potatoes. This |
ar object lesson in waste and econom
In the absence and presence OF control q
national energy and In the subordinate
Of everything to the needs OF the war.
e But there is also another contrast
3 that between the great store OF youn
I men everywhere to be seen In Englan
and the absence of u men fror
civilian life IN Germany. Equally grea
9 are the possibilities suggested by III
S enormous material wealth OF Englan,
n In England ! do not feel that the whol
e sum of national strength Is ~strainin
u toward the periphery. nor am I cor
. scious that tho nerves Of England quivs
oversensitively at the sound Of ever
voice from the front. There seems to b
Y In England an unlimited und Of energ
= in reserve for the continuance OF n
8 struggle. There Ia. moreover. the san
determination as In Germany. though
yOrka on aonewhof ftfPerept linss