The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1916-08-04
NEGATIVE PROPHECY
DR.. JoyneS Writes OF Germany A.
ter the War.
To the Editor of The State:

To the Editor of The State:
What is to be the end OF the Euro
pean war. and when? What its imme-
diate result and its remoter conse-
quences? These questions it requires
a wiser man than | am TO ansW er. But
! may at least venture to prophecy
some things which Will not happen;
and this am induced to do by fire.
quent expressions, both in private life
and in the public press, which l be-
ieve to be erroneous, and founded on
entire misconceptions of German
character and conditions. l venture
to prophecy:
/. Whatever may happen to Ger
many, the war will not result in the
downfall of the Hohenzollern dynasty.
The divine right" by which this
dynasty claims to rule is also the
faith of the German people, and their
devotion to the throne is a deep seat
ed sentiment, faith, a passion,
which lies outside OF all logic and ali
argument, and Of which, in our pub
lie life, We have no example nor com
T. prehension.
In the year 1S4S the Prussian king,
Frederic William w, was confronted
in his capital by the, seemingly VIC
torious forces of revolution. In his
zeal to avoid armed conflict he yield
ed one after another Of the royal pre-
negatives. But when it was demand
ed that the title of king by the gracs
of God" should be abolished or amend
ed he firmly refused. "If," said he,
81 am not king by the grace of God,
then l have no right to reign at all
This is today the claim of his success
sors, and this, l believe, is still the
faith Of the German people: so thai
whatever may befall Germany will be
shared, with nurtured loyalty, by the
German people and their legitimate
sovereigns.
2. A kindred error is that defeat in
war may cause Germany to become
republican or democratic Why should
sueh result follow? The German gov
ernment today is sound, strong, en-
hghtened, benevolent. Labor is there
secure, property is protected, old age
and poverty are wisely cared for.
Crimes against life OF sproperty are
few; education is more general and
more thorough than anywhere else. II
q ''despotism," Germany is certainly
q benevolent" despotism, and Ger
man life is full of privileges and
charms never to be orgotten-witness
the affectionate patriotism, in our owu
country, even of the voluntary exlses
from the fatherland-a most sigma
cant fact
What counter temptation is offered
by our own country, with it's political
commotions, its party feuds, its male
faction of great wealth." its labor
strikes, its uncared for poverty, its
homicides, its lynchings, its increas-
ing divorces, its social and political
instability? No l feel sure that
whatever the result of this war the
Gs-man people will still be left unit
ed, patriotic, proudly devoted to their
own social order and form of govern
ment; and they will still lead the
world in education, science and indus
try.
This is written with some personal
knowledge of German life; and it is
mot intended to indicate any sympa-
thy, for or against Germany, at the
present time. Yet have regretted to
see how greatly some of our people
even of my own friends, misunder-
stand the German character and Ger
fan conditions.
Edward S. .Joynes.
Columbia, July 80.
FIRE BREAKS OUT AGAIN