Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-07-28
Understanding Germany


= ERMAN newspap ers. commenting on the
~ Presidents last note, renew their COM
plants that Germany is not understood in this
country but they are mistaken-they fail to
do justice to American powers Of comprehen-
sion
After all. why should we not understand
the land Of the Kaiser? Certainly your Ger
man is naf enough i'll self-rcveation. One
OF the most common OF German criticisms
Oft repeated, runs something like this: Amer
lea cannot understand that it Is the compell-
ing duty OF a great nation. beset by many
enemies. to take every necessary means to
assure its preservation
AS matter OF fact we understand this
theory perfectly, and certainly have no rea-
son TO question that Germany holds to ii most
tenacously. She proved her faith indeed, in
the rape of Belgium and in the destruction of
the Lusitania. Our deficiency is not in COM
prehenson but in approval Our regard for
German kultur is not sufficiently passionate
to make that kultur's preservation seem in
our eyes. all-important. Anyhow, do not
care TO have ii preserved at the cost of Ameri-
can lives.
How Germany constructs her bridge Of
necessity. on which TO cross any river OF moral
doubt, is we'll illustrated by her correspon-
dence with the Belgian government when she
was preparing TO violate Belgian neutrality
ne GERMAN ultlmatum, dellVered August
?. 1914, contained the following paragraph:
Reliable information ma been received
by the German government to the effect
that French forces intend TO march on
Me- line Of T,,t the Msnse by Grvet and
doubt as 10 the intention OF France to
march through Belgian tercit>ry against
Germany. The German government can
not but fear that Belgium. in spite of
the utmost good will, will be unable
without assistance To repel crnsid-
n French w slant
prospect Of success afford a aae-
Puate guarantee against danger TO Ge:
many. II is essential Tor tn. sell
defense OF Germany that she should
antlci3atc any SNcA noSs -.v .'t-
enemy
The Belgian reply, after reciting that 1.-The
intentions attributed to France are in contra
diction 10 the formal declarations made to u.s.
in the name of the French government" and
asserting that "if, contrary to our expecta-
ton, Belgian neutrality should be violated by
France, Belgium intends TO fulfill her interna-
tional obligations, and the Belgian army will
offer the most vigorous resistance to the in
vader, continues:
The Belgian government il they
10 accept the proposals submitted TO
them would sacrifice the honor of the
nation and bc,ray their duty towards
Europe. Conscious OF the part which
Belgium has played for more than
eighty years in the civilization of the
world. they refuse to believe that the
independence of Belgium can only be
preserved at the price OF violation
OF her neutrality. If this hope is dis
appointed. the Belgian government are
iTn!y resolved TO repel by all the
means III their power every attack upon
their rights
America can understand this attitude Of
heroic Belgium America can and does
sympathize with ii, and sympathize all the
more with the ravshed Kingdom crushed be-
meath the heel of the invader but winner AL
ready OF an immortal glory. Just as there are
things worse than death for an individual. SO
there are things worse than defeat-eyen
crushing dcfcat-for nation When Ger
many enlarges her own understanding as in
the recovery OF her forgotten ideals she will
uhquestionably, she may come to appreciate
mat this is true, and that in her treatment Of
Belgium she proved II true