The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1917-07-17
We May Thank the
German Spirit Which
Bishop Williams Lauds


To disagree with Bishop Charles d
Williams in what he had to say IN MS
sermon in the Cathedral Of st. John the
Divine. or to accuse him of disloyalty
one has TO misunderstood him.
There was nothing in what the bishop
had to say that contained comfort TOT
the enemy. because his laudation was OF
the German people, who are not the en-
envy. We are fighting for them.
There wasn't one consoling phrase IN
the whole sermon for the troubled auto
Gratis of Germany who are the target Oh
our attack.
The spirit of the German PEoPLE'
which is cooperative rather than indl-
vidual. as Bishop Williams finds 1t, Is
what he praises; and il must be the very
spirit he praises, if the entrance OF the
United States into the war Is to meet
with success. because the fight for
democracy can never be won without
the consent of the German people TO CO
operate.
We are all taking hope these days as
we receive word that suggests dlScord IN
high German circles and weakened pow
or of those who are responsible for Ger
many's predicament-who are response
BILE for humble and disgraced Germany.
We are hopeful because in this word
there is the sign that the cooperative
spirit of the German people may be
found turned against their mad kaiser,
and we know that we can count on that
spirit doing for the United States that
which the United States, otherwise,
would have to do.
The fact that we are at war should
not serve to blind US to our shortcom-
ings nor serve as a shield for our en-
emies at home.
We are not letter perfect as democ-
racy. because we lack the spirit of CO.
operation that is so pronounced in the
German people.
Given the opportunity, which is TO
say their freedom from autocracy to
which they are shackled, and they
promise to soon be setting us an exam
pie in self -government.
No one who has followed the progress
of the German PEOPLE and who is at
all familiar with actual conditions in our
own country, will doubt this.
Woodrow Wilson was elected to the
presidency of the United States the first
time on platform setting forth that we
were deficient in democracy and calling
for more of it.
He was elected president Of the United
States a second time to complete the
work of perfecting a democracy, work,
admittedly, then, not done.
We have the advantage over the Ger
man people in foundation and the struc-
ture partly completed. Our purpose in
the war is to give them a foundation.
On it they will build swiftly and well.
Bishop Williams, in his tribute to the
German spirit--to Germans whom we
know and number among our best and
most thrifty citizens-says only that
which the war has proven.
Germany has held out and put up the
fight she has because of the spirit Of CO.
operation of Germans, anxious not so
much to preserve the Hohenzollerps as to
preserve their Germany, the Fatherland,
for the realization of ambitions which,
as evidenced in majority sentiment in
the reichstag, are peaceful.
Were the German spirit otherwise than
Bishop Williams represents it to be, the
entrance of the United States into the
war for the purpose it has declared
would amount to impudence.
The German people-the people them
selves-are DEMOCRATIC and are
ready for DEMOCRACY and will make
good use of it when they get it.