New-York tribune., 1916-05-24
" NIBELUNGENISM +"
Germanys Madness Is a ReversiOn to the
Religion of Thor and Wotan.

d IN" EullOf OF Inc tribune.
Sir: Apologists who assert that because
art is universal the performance of wal
kuero" at the Yale Bowl transcends any
bearing upon the propreties of patriotism
miss their opportunity to point the truth
that lies at the very root of the present
war. Yale-if it is Americans is unfortu-
nate IN its choice Of an opera. For "Wal-
kuere,' as part Of the "Nibelungen" trilogy.
IS part Of that philosophy which is the an
tithesis Of Christianity, and which as an
idea IS the very thing which the world has
stryen to overcome.
The Ring is, moreover. the most provin-
cially German, the least universal and the
clumsiest Of Wagner's works In these
operas he is rot the Wagner of "Tann-
hauser" or Tristan The entire theme is
the epic Of theft, lies and trickery. In it
the redemption Of a dshonored Olympus is
effected by the betrayal of youth and virtue.
and it is the adroitness Of barbarism that
appea5es at last the gold lust Of yapory
demons.
As religion this primitive thing imYart-
ed the lowest morality and the sicklest
sentimentalism to childish race which to-
day exhibits its true ancestral qualities. de-
spite seventeen centuries Of Christianity.
The nobler stock Of the Morse peoples
among whom this religion originated out
grew its evils
Grated upon the races Of the Rhine. the
nebuous religion Of thunder fear brute
strength, cunning and deceit made perma-
nent growth. II Is bone Of the bone and
blood of the blood Of the German stock.
No one knew the true quality of the
Nibelungen religion better than Wagner.
The vision of Christianity which looms over
the engulfcd Valhalla in the last scene was
his own prophetic invention.
Curiously, the aesthetic love Of the triogy
has gone hand IN hand with the return to
it's philosophy IN Germany. Thor and Wo-
tan returned; Nietzsche was their prophet,
Bernhard their apostle. Strength. linked
to treachery lust and dishonor have be-
come the gods Of German idolatry and the
Christendom which converted Germany from
her paganism is now, after nearly two
thousand years, under the necessity Of pun
ishing her for her infdelity.
There are true Americans students -
who appraised the German long before the
sin In Belgium revealed the truth Of their
appraisal; scholars who knew that Germany
had betrayed her Luther. her Goethe and
her Schiller, had gone mad in material efi-
cheney perfected under an exquisite tyranny
Some OF us i'm America. as in France and
lat last in England had learned TO fear
the German bearing gifts as exchange pro-
fessors with their SNUG philosophiesl.
The whole world has awakened to what a
barbarian the Prussian s however, and
America Will, in her turn. deal with HIM
The treaties of Chrstendom and the cathe-
drals of God are not violated and bias
phemed in vain Nor will the children Of
Antwerp and the children that perished from
the Lusitania be forgotten Of God that is
slow TO anger.
Let IL be dwelt upon however, that this
war was begun because a Christian people
reverted to the very Thor, the same Wotan
OF might from which 10 was once rescued
The lust which was the twilight OF the gods
is bringing down the twilight Of the Ger
man peoples Their second rescue will be
by punishment the punishment that is be-
ing meted out By France and England and
in which America will yet take a righteous
hand The time 70 celebrate the "Nibe-
lungen" theme for the sporadic beauties
Of Wagner's scorel is not the present, when
Christendom is united in beating down the
barbarism which il impaired TO race IN
remote time, and to which that race has re-
verted. 20 its eternal shame and dishonor'
New York. May l9, 1916. W. H. II.