New-York tribune., 1918-01-05

had for time relaxed their hold on the
average mind and had receded into the past
when PanGermanism was forgotten amid
overwhelming prosperity and commercial ex-
pansion. Suddenly his "scence of things
possible, inasmuch as they are possible" be-
came the law. The little lambs fattenng in
adjacent meadows"-as the mad philosopher
styled the small nations-must be devoured,
fleece and all Although the feast had long
since been prepared by official Germany, it
could not be conceived thas the menschlicho
Leute, who prated eternaly Of peace, would
absorb the plans so eagerly
Pan -Germanism's stronghold is in the aris-
tocratic class the military contingent, and
among the upper middle class, the class
whose minor titles roll grandiloquenty
on the tongue, who have grown rich
profits. In spite of the "Ubcr Allies" refrain,
-Germanism never did have q hold on the
lower class. The common people were too
completely shackled by the rigorous regua-
tions of the despotic nationalism to dream
OF places in the sun" colonies across
the sea. They were taught to obey, not en-
couraged to think of something bound to come
to pass by Gods natural law and the Kaiser's
1t not until the first stages Of the war,
the almost successful dash to Paris, that
the common people began to slap one an
other the back and predict German su-
the computations Of time when the mailed
fist would subjugate the world at large:
Paris in six weeks, Russia in couple of
months, the hated Island Kingdom in mere
days, and then--who could tell the rest
Of the world, inspired by fear, would sub
nit willingly
By this time 1.-THE third year of the war;
social circle had narrowed perceptibly,
as the head of the house put it, to mere
Red Cross acqnantances. Very reluctantly
accepted the few invitations extended
to us, for could not understand the
radical change in some of the gentlest and
most hospitabe Of our friends, and it dis
tressed to it. The war seemed to
have brought out all evil traits. AS shock
ing deed after shocking deed was perpe-
trated, we listened in vain for one dissent
ing voice.
Hysterical Approval
Months before we had been greatly dis
turbed by the fierce outburst Of joy at the
Introduction Of gas, much like the grand
titanic outburst of laughter" of which
Thomas Carlyle speaks in his history Of the
French Revolution The report of the num-
Der of men sutfocated by this fiendish in
novation was greatly exaggerated. But the
greater the number reported dead the higher
mounted the hysterical outcry of approval
WI i"e1i oSiSnSc "oulu conquer the WCrlQ, II
was predicted. "The war would be won by
chemistry alone" "'The miserable dollar-lov-
ing American would be ruined by the amount
or ammunition left on his hands.''
In the pulpit also was heard the clarion
voice profaning the Creators name by in
citing to kill What had become of the
sweet simple faith which breathcd the spirit
of beautiful, peaceful garden? What had
become of the home!y people, abiding in that
faith, at peace with their fellow beings and
God? One could not believe that the rest
less, brutal, bitter, merciless, blood-c -crazed
multitude were the cultured, happy, devout-
ly religious people who shc1. time before
had lived according to the simple word
preached by their beloved pastors. How diff
ferent now that word. The simple word
had given way to the clarion tones of the
half mad fanatic who had turned his back
on God. "A torpedo, striking home hears
the message of God" was the sacrilege ut
tered by we'll known pastor in Ber-
lin.
In contrast to the Emperors SNUG and
almost sacrilegious claim Of intimacy with
the Deity, one is almost Mortified by the
! wave of agnosticism that has swept over
Berlin. There is greater increase of the
other and worse extremists who, with mock
ing and contumelious language, neither as
scrt nor deny the existence of the Deity be-
cause Of the limits of human intelligence
OF insufficient psychcal evidence, but who
absolutely deny and scotf at the existence
Of God. This scourge OF the disconsolate