New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-02-01
GERMANY's sERvILE SPIRIT
A Nation Whose Thinking Is Regu-
lated from Wilhelmstrasse.

To the Editor Of Tho Tribune.
Sir: One Of tho commonest commonplace
expressions ono hcars uttered these days Is
that II ia impossible TO argue with n German
ohout the war The Teutonic mind fares up
like skyrockct before the slghtcst doubt
cast upon the justice OF Germany's cause m
tho present conflict.
Since tho time tho Germans started the
European holocaust tho principal danger to-
the civilized world has not been the German
army or even German victory, but the fact
TINT there is no difference OF opinion among
the German people in Germany or out Of
Germany. Tho mere fact that German arms
arc victorious to date constitutes a grave
menace to Europe The fact that Germany
thinks from Wilhelmstrasse constitutes al
world calamity nj the present hour.
If Wilhclmstrasse were to disavow entirely
some individual crime OF the present war
such as the rape Of Belgium or the Lusitania
massacre. Germany from the trenches IN
Flanders to Milwaukee, Wis, would echo the
sentiment and point with pride - tho hui
manitaran sentiments Of German rulers. il
Brussels were TO be dynamited at daybreak
tomorrow on orders from the German Gen
eral staff. the act would be defended by
Tcutons from Constantinople TO the Baltic,
and the German press in this country would
applaud the deed and perhaps recall some
such event in our history as Shcrman's march
TO the sea.
But now that Austria. virtually part and
parcel Of the German Empire for the pres
cnt. has dsavowcd the Ancona murder. one
might think that tine Tcutonic apclogists
would find it difficult 10 praise III at Of
Austria and at the same time champion
Cermany's moral right 90 assassinatc women
and babies on the Lusitsnia. Nevertheless.
we shall sec within the next few days the
German press IN this country and German
spokesmcn here skipping nimbly Ike 1yro
lean mountain goats from one horn OF the
German-Austrian submarine dilemma 10 the
other. praisng Austria on the one hano for
her latest note 20 the United State, and on
tho other hand lauding Germany for holding
out against disavowal IN the Lusitania case
A master historian philosopher would have
hard time analyzing the peculiar traits OF
German character as revealed IN this war
The German Jew Heinc. who was neither an
historian nor a philosopher, did IL many
years ago. before there was a united Ger
many. I'm one OF his essays he tells of
visitor who came TO Eldorado and found the
Oh ldren there playing with marbles Of gold
The guest expressed great astonishm"nt ask
ms If it were possible that The chidrcn
marbles were real gold. lie was assured such
was indeed the case gold being so abundant
I'm Eldorado. The aliegory is a. truthful in
its application 90 Germany to-day rs TO- tn.
davs r Hcine. Germany abounds in academic
81. tod ga D. + OBJ ID ave
flows with culture. An epigrammatic Ger
manophilc once cold me that Germany Wa
the most civilized nation in the world, be-
cause there were more copies of Shakespeare
in Germany than in any other country. AM
willing TO accept his statement as true anu
win add thereto that all the Grea. poet
and prose writer's o. all nations have large
and aoprociatiVc audiences in Germany; but
Heine's satirical thrust still RENAME ur-
bluuted The Eldorado OF the alegory that
is. Germany may cherish the gold in art, lit
erature and science. and may pile up the
precious metal in greater quantities than an!
ether nation. But to what purpose? All. the
good people Of Germany are merely playing
with it, An oX won't to Oxford and came
back an OK. The great Frederick sat al III
feet Of Noltairc, but he remained Prussiah
The events OF the past sixteen months
show that Germany merely has been playing
marbles with her golden ideas. The real
work OF Germany has been vroueh IN 0looI
and IRON just as it Away has been wrought
since the days Of Ficderica the Great.
Germany and German states have Away
been the political automa.ons OF nonarthica.
Will. Germany. OF tha, territory which now
constitutes the German Empire and - in-
,abited by Germans. has newer .ro7r one
.t,-r, ,-r.. frorr..U.f democratic
heaval. that b.. 'olud expression lu con
crete action. and make tina. state
mindful of the revolutionary bonfire OF 1913
On the other hand. thc German states have
followed any .rincc that chose 20 eel! them
into the field OF action. German troops have
fought Whenever they were ordered 90 Ugh
for any elcctor or hcrcd taff pracc.
Even such democracy as Germany 'oasted
of in rs governmental fabric before Tie war
started was not born OF German democracy.
r. was an adopted child lcsalizod 'y rulers
no we're I'm fact absolute. Modem Germany
wa. built from tho toof da3n. not from the
basement up. as state pretending TO oemo-
craft, form Of government hould be and D..
buI. Germany ,he product Of an Official
autocrac,. has obeycd The voice Of its masters
too long. has observed "vcrboten sign too
long. And now Germany. whether al nome
or abroad thinks and speaks and acts just
rs her masters decree.
II the time should ever come that ter
many fights for herself, and not for her
Kaiscr and hcr junkers she Will nave nos
ONLY American sympathy. but she viii have
.re,ter number Of Americans sighting n her
ranks than arc now enlisted with the Allies
PAUL KORECK.
New York. Jan. 3. 1916