The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1916-12-07
WHY so BITTER
AGAINST GERMANY?
DIR. Leonard n. Hirshberg's Answer TO
Friendly Inquiry, in the New York
Tribune.

bf' i'ohafa IA Hh SHoei hhewsi
Friendly Inquiry. in the New YorI
Tribune.
J To the Editor OF The Tribune
Sir: A German gentleman, dis
tinguished internationally as we'll a
in this country, his adopted land sine
he left Germany in childhood, has ad
dressed sharp but friendly letter Il
me, asking, "Why are you so bite
against Germany" He has requested
that his name be not given To tn,
public.
In answer to his question, let me
say that am not bitter against in
animate, beautiful Germany mol
against the anti-democratic unifca'
tion of the intelligence of its inhabi-
tants.
Together with a large part of the
inhabitants of the earth, who are in
huenced by the eternal "made-in-
Germany" stamp Of city government
science and Gemuthlichkeit, | observe
without bitterness or patriotism, bias
or preference, that
/. The German people in times of
peace as well as war are guided to a
unanimity of thought and action which
sacrifices the individual and the family
for the aggrandizement and glory of
the state.
2. That German state is the un-
assailable, unimpeachable, infallible
Hohenzollern autocracy, and its legion
of office holders, professors and writ
ers, who by rewards to them and the
ostracism of critics, objectors and
thinkers who refuse to be unanimous
with the parental autocracy, maintains
itself supreme.
3. This German government, by its
insidious and unrecognized guidance
of pulpit, press, professors and people,
avowed peace openly and secretly pre-
pared to conquer all Europe.
A. 1t elevated even in peace times
the power of the military over the civ
il rights of the German people, with
out the Germans themselves realizing
this usurpation of the inalienable
rights of man.
5. 1t practises and breaches sedition
in countries with which it is at war,
which is ethically and legally unthink-
able among other nations. The Ger
man people are one voice in favor OF
this and other non-moral exertions of
might over right.
6. All of the discoveries and inven- I
tions of science, art and industry are
not monopolized by Germany, as the
Germans at home and in America al
most believe. Moreover, even if they
were, it would not justify the rest of
the world to tolerate or submit to the
parental egotistic, dictatorial at
tempts of the autocracy of Germany,
backed up by the selfish, ambitious
patriotism of large part of the Ger
nan people, to subjugate France,
England, smaller states, or even Rus
,ia.
7. Russia and it's government is
'rankly an arbitrary form of the state.
t pretends to no democracy. 1t in
lulges in no make believe freedom of
is people. 1t is not in favor of "the
-oice of the people" in state affairs.
They shed no crocodile German tears
ver the rights of the public in judic-
al, executive or legislative matters.
t is openly reactionary, and its people
nd the world are not misled. There ,
ore, honest people, Jews and Chris {
ians, prefer Russia's frankness to
,ermany's hypocrisies. !
s. The German people consider the }
'rench, English, Russians, Americans q
nd others who differ with them to be 7
generates, perfidious hypocrites, =
wv, common, inferior races. They t
link they are almost divinely right a
ven when they do what is in reality !,
n unhelpful thing to themselves, by c
sregard of the almost universally ac .
,pted honor of signed treaties, Of h
1n-interference with the civil rights q
temporarily occupied neutral or $,
lemy territories, Of the enslaving and
stribution far from home of such !,
villains. :,
8. Most Of the honest facts against a,
e German government are countered al
the German people with sophistry q,
ID false logic. Militarism, which 81
cans the supremacy of military h;
urts and powers over the civil, is ii,
ct by insincere accusations of ina es
ism" Yet nowhere in the world is II,
e naval service in power over the va
nj branches. va
10. Other dishonest German cries tic
e the freedom Of the seas" TO pre- on
i'd that England has not the right in tu
II to issue letters in council, block
e and otherwise interfere with Ger N;
my receiving aid and comfort. Pa
H. The fictitious cry Of starving tn,
civilian populations Of Germany" cu