South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1915-07-26
They Who and
Whole People Aggression Distinguished Bishop
One of the Greatest Educators u the World

cultivated. They profess supremacy In cultiva-
ton. Yet they have violated treaties to which
they themselves have been parties; they have
invaded devastated the innocent country
of Belgium; they have destroyed the University
OF LouVain; they have bombarded the Cathe-
dral Of Rheims; they have sown the ocean
with mines; they have desecrated the sanctity
OF the white flag md the Red Cross; they have
sunk the Lusitania; they have used asphyxiat-
ing gases in France and Flanders: they have
poisoned wells in Southwest Africa. What, then,
is ''Kultur?" How does IT differ from culture ?"
Anybody who considers the general accept
of the word culture" will probably feel
that il denotes certain definite qualities or at
tanments of human nature.
1t implies knowledge, and that OF various
kinds-the mastery OF the physical world, an
acquaintance with the history of mankind.
initiation into the political and philosophical
thought of all the ages. 1t implies refinement,
too. The essence of humane studies is. as
the ancient poet has said, mitigation, or an
amelioration or barbarous rudeness.
But, apart from manners, cultivated per-
son finds his pleasure not only, chiefly, in
material objects, such as wealth, but in art,
science and poetry.
Yet a third element OF true culture seems
to be freedom. Primitive man is the slave OF
arbitrary customs but as he becomes civilized
and cultivated he is enabled TO develop him
self upon the natural lines, and the very laws
to which he willingly submits the means
and instruments OF his free action. Liberty.
j. ID. Mills conceived II IN his CelebIdltu
essay, is essential to progress.
There is yet a fourth element which never
fails to assert and express itself IN true cul-
ture. 1t is sympathy. knowledge expands the
interest as IL widens the outlook Nobody is
a cultivated man-nobOdy. indeed, deserves
to be called a gentleman-unless he thinks OF
othcrs as well as of himself, and pays regard
to their feelings no less than to his own.
Ii will not think, be denied that Germans
OF the highest intellectual and spiritual calbre.
such as Goethe and Kant, have, in their lives
and in their writings, exhibited these qualities
not always in the same degree, for learning
and refinement are more conspicuous in Goethe,
sympathy in Kant; but they have not been
wanting as distinctive features of cultivated
Teutonism.
But the word "Kultur" has practically, IL
not always theoretically, possessed a different
meaning. IL seems, curious enough, 10 be
word OF comparatively late origin. In the great
"Deutsches Worterbuch" of Jacob and Wilhelm
Grimm, which began to be published about the
year 1860 neither "Cultur' nor "Kultur" oc-
ours In Meyers Conversations Lexicon
OS96). MISUNDERSTANDING" is the subject OF
an elaborate definition. which may be said TO be
in erect that it is the history of the inner
social life OF humanity in its natural develop
ment on the material. but still more on the
spiritual (geistigen) side.
Experience, however. shows that when the
word "KGltur" has been used by Germans OF
late years. should say, roughly, from 1870