New-York tribune., 1916-06-14
GERMAN "HISTORY"
The Great War as Interpreted by Richard
Won Kralik.
To the Editor of The Tribune.

To the Editor Of The Tribune.
Sir: Growing curious about the manner IN
which history (for Teutonic consumption
was being written, went to the library ana
spent many hours with the "Geschichte des
Weltkrieges." written by Richard Won Kralik
and published in Vienna in 1915.
The first volume contains 362 pages OF very
closely written matter. 1t goes to the end OF
! 1914 only. The work when completed VII!
not be without pretention to exhaustiveness
| II covers many matters with wealth OF
detail; for instance, the successive captures
of the Emden are described, an abundance
of martial and patriotic verse is quoted at
great length and the winter clothing oil the
sodiery is precisely set forth.
What is most remarkable about this work
however. is not much what is in it as what
is left out. II is this matter OF omission
which | find most suggestive.
After devoting many pages to descrip-
tion Of Serbas iniquities our author comes
to the ultimatum which was presented to
Serbia by Austria on the 23d of July, 1914,
at 6 p. m. with a request for an answer with
| in forty eight hours. This ultmatum is re
printed in full, just as are many proclama-
tions, speeches, etc.
Most of us know to-day how Serbia an
swered Austria's ultmatum. Most of us
! think the answer was concilatory in the eX-
treme and framed with view to maintaining
peace In fact most of US are largely pro-
Ally because of the attitude of the Teutonc
powers following Immediately upon the
answer which Serbia made to Austria.
| What does this Teutonc history say
about Serbias note?
! II omits it altogether
! But the author, of course, had to refer to it
and he does so in this wise:
at is not necessary to reproduce the Ser
bian note. | confne myself to an
abridged reproduction of the Austrian com
rlent thereon, as it sufficiently characterizes
the mental attitude and spirit Of the Serbian
document" page 76).
Perhaps you will agree with me that there
is something most significant about the omis
sion from a Teutonc history of the text OF
the one document upon which the fate of
Europe depended.
As | pass along I note many more omis-
sions which strike me as significant. For in
stance the conduct Of the German armies
passing through Belgium is said to have in
fuenced greatly public opinion in neutral
countries.
! Dr. Won Kralik dsmisses the matter in less
than a half page, all told. On page 167 he
says: "A painful episode arose from the par
tial destruction of Louvain because its in
habitants had shot at German troops" To
which, on page 200 he adds: Belgium pub
lished officially an accusatory statement of
the events to which the town of Louvain had
been subjected alleging that not the inhab-
tants of Louvain but Germans had shot at
Germans. This was refuted by the German
government Besides which it cane out that
not the whole of Louvsin had been destroyed,
but only one-ifth or one-sixth. Most Of the
public buildings were saved, notably the
beautiful City Hall. st. Peters Church at
least could be restored"
There is one more reference TO the subject.
On page 20l we read American war corre-
spondents met the libels of the pro British
press with the following declaration: In
order TO honor truth, we unanimously de-
clare that as far as we have observed Ger
man atrocities did not occur. The
discipline of the German troops is excellent;
there is no drunkenness"
Arson, pilage, sacrilege, murder, rape, hos
tages-the whole methodical savagery of the
German atrocites-all passed by in silence.
Could silence be more eloquent?
| do not want to tax your patience with
much more from this precious History"
But there is one gem of thought, discovered
on page $685. which is worthy of the mani
festo of the ninety-three German intellect
uals":
at thus became ever clearer that the uni
versal war was but spiritual struggle be-
tween destructive and constructive forces,
between Freemasonry in all its forms and
ramifcations and Christianity in all its forms
and notifications"
The manifestations of the mind fed on
German Kultur have ceased to astonish us,
but ! must admit that the passage just
quoted made me smile. But what of those to
whom this fantastic History" will be text
book? W. c. B.
New York, June l2, 1916