Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1917-11-27
Pruss;anized Germany-Its Menace
Otto n. Kahn Of Kahn Loeb Co, delivered at HARRIS
burg. Pa. 9 ept. 81. 1917.

puTS, u S~s =
II speak as one who has seen the
spirit OF the Prussian governing class
at work from close by, having at Its
disposal and using to the full prac-
tically every agency for moulding the
public mind.
II have watched it proceed with re-
lentless persistency and profound cum
ming to instill into the nation the DEM
oniacal obsession Of power worship and
world dominion, to modify and pervert
the mentality-indeed the very hoer
and moral substance-of the German
people, people which until misled,
corrupted and systematically poisoned
by the Prlssian ruling caste, was and
deserved to be an honored, valued ana
welcome member of the family or
nations.
u have bated and loathed that spirit
ever since It came within my ken many
years ago: hated 1t all the more as
saw it ruthlessly pulling down q thing
which was dear to me--the old Ger
many to which 1 was linked by ties OF
blood. by fond memories and cherished
sentiments.
The difference in tho degree OF
guilt as between the German people
and their Prussian or Prussianized
rulers and leaders for the monstrous
crime of this war and the atrocious
harharism Of its conduct Is the differ
ence between the man who, acting
under the influence OF a poisonous
drug runs amuck in mad frenzy and
the unspeakable malefactor who ad-
ministered that drug. we'll knowing
and fully intending the CHASTITY conse-
Quences which were bound to follow.
The world fervently longs for peace.
But there can be no peace answering
to the true meaning Of the word-no
peace permitting the nations OF the
earth, great and small, to walk I'M
armed and uuafraid-until the teach
ing and the leadership OF the apostles
Of an outlaw creed shall have become
discredited and hateful in the sight or
the German peopl; until that people
shall have awakened 10 a conscious
ness OF the unfathomable guilt OF those
whom they have followed into calam-
ity and shame; until mood OF peni-
tence and OF a decent respect Tor the
opinions OF mankind shall have sup
planted the sway OF what President
Wilson has so trenchantly termed
turbulence and treachery.'
God strengthen the conscience ana
the understanding, the will and the
power % the German people so that
they may find the only road which Will
give to the world an early peace and
in time lead Germany back into the
family OF nations from which it Is now
an outcast.
From each successive visit to Ger
many for twenty-five years / came
away more appalled, by the sinister
transmutation Prussianism had
wrought amongst the people and by
the portentous menace I recognized in
it for the entire world
1T had given to Germany unparalleled
beneficent and advanced
social legislation, and not few other
things OF value, but it had taken In
payment the soul 81 the race. II hac
made a devils bargain"
And when this war broke out in
Europe knew that the issue had been
Joined between the powers Of brutal
might and insensate ambition OF hu-
mainly and liberty on the other; be-
tween darkness and light
Many there were at that time
and amongst them men for whose
character ! had high respect and
whose motives were beyond any pos
sible suspicion-who saw their own
and Americas duty n strict neutral
ity mentally and actually. but person
ally / believed from the beginning OF
the war. whether we liked all the ele-
M ents Of the allies combination or not
and I certainly did not Ike the Rus
STA Of the czars-that the cause OF the
allies was Americas cause.
Il believed that this was no ordinary
war between peoples for question OF
national interest, or even nationai
honor, but a conflict between funda-
mental principles and ideas; and so
believing was bound TO feel that the
natural lines OF race. blood and Kim
ship could not be the determining lines
for ones attitude and alignment, but
that each man, regardless Of his orts1n,
had 10 decide according to his judg-
ment and conscience on which SIDE
was the wrong and take his stand &C
cordingly. whatever the wrench and
anguish Of the decision. And thus
took my stand three years ago.
But whatever ones views ano reel
ngs, whatever the country OF ones oirtn
or kin, only one course was lett Tor all