Omaha daily bee., 1917-05-31
Germany's National Hero.

Somewhere in Nebraska, May 26.-
To the Editor of The Bee: The Ger
mans are almost universally indus
trious, thrifty. honest, abiding
and sober. AS farmers their sue
cess is practically universal Ger
mans, as rule, are equally success
full In whatsoever they undertake
Their services to the union during
the shareholders rebellion can hardly
be praised too highly. 1t is not an
idle conjecture that the German ele-
ment in the United States saved the
union. There were 177,0OO native
Germans in the federal army and
Faust estimates 100000 of German
extraction. Eighty-one of every 900
Germans in the United States were in
the federal army and only sixty-nine
OF every 1000 Americans were there.
There was larger proportion of Ger
mans in the union army than of any
other race. The Germans of Missouri
kept that state in the union. This
alone may have turned the scale.
The Germans are the only farmers
who have entered into an alliance
whose avowed purpose is to perpet-
uate the language. literature. Gus
toms, traditions, history and ideals of
tiiS'i tbohudlii NouHllys WHAT dIt
these? We judge a cult by its
prophet. we judge a nation by it's
hero. The national hero of Germany
Is the man they call Herman-the
name Herman was coined four or
five centuries after his death; it
means lord-man. Arminius-whose
Germanic name Is unknown-is the
Herman of his countrymen. Armin-
ius, or Armin, was deified by his pa
gan countrymen, and the destruction
of his shrine was part of the reform
OF Carl the Great in his attempted
overthrow of paganism. The man Ar
minus has been eulogized by histo-
rians from Tacitus to Greasy. Henty
has entitled one of his medleys of
history and romance. 1.-THE Young
Carthagenian." In this tale he makes
HannibaPs cousin the remote lineal
ancestor of Arminius, and pictures
the eternal hate Of Rome entailed for
six generations. Poets have sung the
praises Of the liberator of Germany
until, in popular conception, Armin-
ius has become pure and dsnter-
ested patriot, who, like Moses. re-
jected honor. wealth and ambition out
of unselfish love for his people. The
Germans have christened a national
fraternity, the Sons of Herman, for
this man. Near the town of Detmold,
proximate to the Teutoberg forest,
stands a statue to the memory of Ar
minus A German family without
one Herman is an exception to the
rule.
This conception is as mythical as
Washington's cherry tree or Barbara
Freitchie's heroism. Without arguing
ttnlN Il .tpt, Nf ~s,.t.
historical character-in which field
there is room for discussion will
say that from the facts related by
his friends the treason of Arminius
is not eclipsed by Flavius Josephus,
George Monck or Benedict Arnold, or
even. if we subtract the divine
character of the victimv-by Judas
1scariot himself Poor Arnold was
the only one of these five who made
a failure. Had he succeeded Wash
ington would have been a factious
and unsuccessful rebel. and might
have owed his life to the intercession
of the man whose name is now. a
synonym for treason.
Arminius was born in what is now
West Prussia, IS B. C. He went to
Rome in his boyhood and was edu-
Gated at the expense of the state, was
made a Roman citizen. admitted to
the Order of Equities (knights) and |
served in the Roman army, in which |
he attained high rank, and was sec
ond In command at the tragic event |
hereinafter related. He was always |
loyal until Rome had a war with Ger
many. Arminius accompanied Verus,
the Roman commander, to Germany. |
Verus had been warned of the treach-
cry Of Arminius, but refused to credit
his detractors. The traitor prepared |
German ambuscade, into which he |