The Leavenworth echo. [volume] (Leavenworth, Wash.) 1904-current, 1917-05-04

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For years this country. and al the
world, sor that matter, has given the
German nation unstinted praise for its
great Advancement IN zrt, science, gov
eminent, and all that tends for the bet
,errnent OF mankind. Indeed some
economists had almost reached the con-
clusion that perhaps, after all, auto
cratic government, As j. is administered
in Germany. is the last Eord, and
would finally supplznt popular forms.
Germany had 80 far outstnped all the
other nations in the past Fifty years In
material, and seemingly the ideahstic
in go7ernnent, that many Of rs we're
all but converted TO the German sYs-
ten. and about ready TO announce ON
conversion, when the var broke out.
When an inventor 10 some other por-
ton Of the world made = discovery,
as the Wnghts the flying machine, and
Holland the submarine, the Germans
took it up and perfected the invention.
In chemistry they exhibited consider
able originality, and made some really
remarkable discoveries. leading the
world. In manufacturing and trade
they exhibited considerable originality
and made strides which other nations
found it hard to follow. In home eco
Monies they have made the most Won
derful Improvement, as the war OF the
past two and half years has conclus-
lively demonstrated. The people have
subsis.ed on what other nations wasted.
Religion they have not neglected.
They have made Of If something prac-
teal rather than ideal. The material
ism Of the here and now is the central
idea on which the German propagan-
dist Of the neT cult worked. For fifty
years the ruling class in Germany strove
with one clear idea in view. An idea
that the world only hall suspected the
import and end of; world domination.
They worked quietly and unobtrusively.
Along With their religious propaganda
they made a systematic effort TO con-
vince the German people that they we're
the chosen people designed By God to
rule and lead all the nations Of earth to
a higher plane Of existence. As proof
Of their fitness and superiority they
pointed TO the TACT that the German
nation surpassed all other nations.
Much after the manner OF the Romans
they taught that to be plain German
citizen was greater than to be .nle:
among the half savage nations Of
earth. They revived in a manner the
stoicism Of the early Greeks, and taught
indifference to suffering as among the
highest virtues. Unlike the early
Christians they relied more on the
doctrine Of force and emulaied the
example Of Mohammed. rather than the
example Of the meek and lowly
Saviour. They carried their religion
in the lef, and relied for success on the
sword 10 the right hand. Their history
reading lead to the conclusion that God
always fights on the side Of the strong
est, wherefore they made force the
keystone in their religious arch. There
is nothing in the new religious teach
ings Of the Germans that would suggest
the meek and loEly," but rather the
heroic spirit Of Mohammed-the spirit
Of conquest. The Germans fight With
something Of the religious ferver Of the
followers Of the Prophet and with
much the same disregard Of death.
Once a German is to be always
German, and disloyalty to German in
stitutions is the objectionable sin. To
their credit it may be said they preach
most OF the virtues and esteem
force the highest Of all earthly virtues.
II the reader wants to know more
about German religious thought he
should get book written BY Walter
Lehman, a preacher Of Hamburg,
Germany, under the title, About the
German God," translated into Danish
BY Prof. John P. Bang, professor Of