New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-05-07
Oh, for the Boche Spirit
A Superintendent Deplorcs the
Weaknesses of Our Native Citizens
To tho Editor Of The Tribune.

To the Editor Of The Tribune.
Sir: The letter Of Mrs Harriet stanton
Blatch on your editorial page of this morn
ing deserves a bit Of attention, principally
because it is such a shining example Of our
national weakness, which is sentlmentality
and hystera The notion that we are, some
how, the spokesman Of the neutral nations
has been launched by Mr.. Wilson. but the
neutral nations would not have II so. Vow
comes this good lady. Mrs. Batch, and 'ells
US that we owe it to France 10 save her from
extinction by the Germans.
We like TO think Of ourselves as very
practical business people-by 'practical' we
mean that all our efforts must pay a diyl-
dend-and it is well for us that we are so
practical. ! wish we were as hard as steel
or as the Germans, who insist that the hrst
duty Of a nation is to make herself power
full. so powerful that no other nation can
risk a conflict without endangerlng her own
world position.
Undoubtedly the French nation has been
a great civilizng influence IN the world, and
has in her political career passed through
rich and romantic experience; all the world
is debtor 10 France. Germany no less than We
arc; but nations. like persons, have their day.
and just why we. more than others. should
slaughter many thousands Of our young men
10 helD France to hold on to her position
as a world empire, that is not very clear to
me. Especially not convincing is the stock
argument that a few French gentlemen
came over during our national crisis ana
Joined the rcvolutonists Their prime mo-
tive was TO take "A fall out of the BRITISH
Empire. Besides that, some Prussian gen
tlemcn also came over to help the American
revolutionists, probably under the same high
motive hate for England. We practical
Americans feel very sure that our highest
duty 10 the cause Of civilization at TINS time
is not to help save France or England, nor
70 present them with carloads Of gold, but
to organize our nation into a military and
economic power so great that neither Ter
many nor the coming Asiatic empire can al
ford 10 risk a passage n arms with US with
out endangeriuC their positions IN tho sun.
want 10 say 20 Mrs. Blatch and other
kind-hcartcd and generous Americans who
wish TO present billions Of money and rivers
Of American blood to France. we need every
mothers son right here. Let France go;
let England 90; the world spirit cares moth
ing for names or traditions. If these old
organizations cannot maintain their places
in the sun il is not our fault; 1t IS their
own This war marks the end of petty com
petitions within national house. The world
spirit has spoken through Greece, through
Rome. through France and through England;
to-day the world spirit speaks in the Ian
guage Of science, and through Germany
the shining example of concentrated power
If America will learn this lesson, some day
the world spirit will speak through America,
and speak powerfully. But we shall surely
waste our power and cling to the past by
trying to die for France or for any other
old wreck The spirit OF France cannot die
Said the German commander before Rheims:
I've are sorry to have to destroy these
works Of art. but German blood is more
precious than French buildings Shall we
be less patriotic or less logical than the
Hun? CONRAD Won HOHENSTAUFEN.
New Haven, Conn, May ,, 1917.