Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1918-02-16
The GERMAN
MIND
(By Hsryey O'Hieeins,l.

(By Harvey O'Higsins.)
1t is not a bottomless mystery. this
outrageous record Of the Germans at
war, 1t is a clearly consistent express
sion Of the servile mind. To under
stand it, you have only to understand.
the peaceful virtues Of the people
whom Bismarck called "a nation OF
house servants"
They have long been governed by
the most arrogant Of, all the govern
ing classes Of E~urope--the Pfus1ian
militarists. They nave submitted with
4 touching faith in their oppressive
and comfort-loving, plundered for
centuries by their ntarauding neigh
lbors they have been glad to league
together in the German empire with
M matter what lo3 Of personal lib
erty, under the domination Of their
tyrannous wal lords, They have ssen
in that tyranny their only safety. 1t
cured wars Of the last century, first
from their old rivals the Austrians,
and then from their old conquerors,
the French. They believe that It has
defended them as efficiently In the
present BY inspired news and
forged dispatches, they have been
convinced that they were invaded be-
IllS wa was uSNS0IOAt u I4l0y
still believe it. They believe that they
are fighting in self-defense under the
leadership Of an autocracy that is
their only self-protection.
And they are fighting as the timid
fight. The man who has been: gov
erned by arrogance and has bowed
down to fear is a nan who under
COMPEL respect. He will invariably
resort to frightfulness as his weapon
In war. He will know no compassion.
He will have no dignity-not e the
dignity of pity. He will be at once
incredibly cruel and incredibly petty.
He will persecute noncombatants, out
rage women, mutilate children, bonn
nlent prisoners. cut down fruit trees,
and deflc with animal Nth what he
has not time to destroy like a dis
charged servant taking his revenge
on the kitchen. It is inevitable. 1t
Is in the nature Of the servi1e mind
to do these things and to fail to see
why they should not be done.
His officers will order them done.
because it has been by brutality that
his oficers have ruled him, they
will hope by brutality to rule. the
world. And he will do what he is or
dered. because he knows the efficacy
OF fear in his " case, and he will
hope by frightfulness to strike fear
into his enemy. :
His instinct OF subserviency. in fact
makes him a perfect military instru-
ment. lIe obeys orders like a devoted
hound. He has the courage Of un-
Questioning obedience. He must be
sent to the attack in mass formations,
but he will go blindly, linking arms
with his fellows, singing solemnly, in
4 state OF exalted meekness. When
he is behind the lines, in safety. he
will encourage himself with hymns Of.
hate. Hatred" said the philosopher
lis the revenge of the weak" Caught
in his dugout. he will cry "Kamerad!
kamerad!" to his captors. and when
ne is taken prisoner he will be. gentle,
olddable. hare working and happy.
For the same reasons he makes a
perfect spy. He will be humble, in
Eratiadng. as; t~reacherous as an in
any sense of the obligations Of hospi-
tally. His ambassador in a neutral
country will be a faithful servant. dis
guised as a gentleman. gathering
servants gossip in a plot to betray
his host. His very arrogance is the
arrogance of the servant who is proud
Of his master. He will tell you. I'VE
very religion is a. religion Of fear. If
he were really as des-ilish- as he pre-
love only God" "Ein, feste Bur- list
unser Gott." All, ofS;Germany's piup-
dered past fissaAn a:th4e4 lire. WHO but
an. intimfdated .peSpIe, slonging TOR a
Chinese wall. would sing. Our God is
a strong f%ortress?"'fi 1t Is this lack Of
rea! courage thai makes him .contin-
ua1ly boast Of his lack OF fear. He
DULLES. because he has always been
pulled. He does not understand why
the world will not fcringe, and he fails
to understand it because he is himself
always inwardly cringing to the auto
Gratis whom: he trusts to EdefendsS.him
from the world. -.
It is the problem Of this war first
t. break the, military autocracy in
Germany, and then to set free the
minds Of the people. Any attempt to
Punish them for their cruelties. will
drive them. lnereafteTsaf$$With:. new
timidity. into the arms. Of @snme new
despotism. They" m,istasshks r~veaeture
OF their safety in the world. They
must be persuaded Sto@dare the re-
sponsibilities OF freedom. These peo-
nle. vi have never had a revolution
must he first liberated and forgiven.
and then protected in their freedom
and encouraged to feel self-respect.
1t is a pathetic, sort OF problem. It
is A problem that can not be solved
in terms Of hatred and revenge. It is
tpecnliarly the problem OF the Ameri-
can people. who have nothing to gain
from the defeat Of Germany but the
safety OF democracy in world politics,
and who not establish that safety
till Germany is itselfa true democ.
racy. unservi1e and treasured.
THE HIGHER MATHEMATICS.