The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-07-16
mo MAN CAN DEFEND GERMANY AND
REMAIN A MAN,"


feel and guess: he. as almost no Other
is qualified TO evaluate this who,s
cursed business OF Kultur. to define n
differentiate II. compare II, penetrate
It's subtleties. explain its deieteriou,
tendencies and draw for the American
people the proportions OF Its ggantI,
reach.
Moreover, as close student OF Ger.
manlcs, the college professor faces tina
obvious civic duty OF declaring for hi,
countrymen the most indispensable
of all doctrines--that henceforth
things German cannot be determined
apart from the revelations of the pres.
ent war; that the value ~ Germsn,c
study az evidenced by the methods ana
ideals OF twenty years ago is neutral.
lied by the present Intellectual and
moral state cf the German mind: tina,
there 10 no indication OF a return 10
the older, saner ways which all OF u,
have admired and trusted: that thu
new Germany Is brutalized. mind
soul and body: that the preservation
of our youth Is Infinitely more impor.
tant than the gain or loss Of German
educational influence; that the linsui..
tic and literary value Of Germanics
for this country must be weighed on
the scales OF humanity and morality,
that German methods have no mean.
ing here except In so far as they
minister to the unfolding OF democ.
racy and liberty. How many col.
lege professors OF German have the
conviction or courage to support such
a doctrine?
Is the foregoing arraignment unfair?
Not twelve months ago Intercepted
an average hundred of them by letter
on various points suggested by the
times.
Twenty-Five still believed that the
war was forced on Germany.
Twenty-one insisted that the stories
Of Teuton brutality were greatly ex-
aggerated Getting in protest the Ger
many they knew years ago..
Fourteen preferred TO see Germany
win rather than England.
Forty bewailed the irreparahle loss
TO American scholarship entailed by
the war.
Eight defended the German system
"even with its apparent rigors" =.
against the looseness and inefficiency
of democratic government.
The great ma jority deemed Il irex-
pedient" TO make public statement
The great majority How majestic
ally they stand cut from among the
foolish throng which presses toward
manikins may live on to inculcats
Kultur into the minds OF its sons and
daughters.
willingly except those splendid
young instructors who early Joined the
colors, whose zeal Is surpassed only by
their heroism. l recognize the faithful
few who put country before their fob
and denounce the thing they once re-
vered
But feel--who can feel Il too
strongly that no man can defend
Germany even negatively and remain
a man. For the insignificant college
professor who Ia content to he infni-
tesimally small where others are inn
nitely large I have a contempt which
Graves public utterance.
This war is going to be won. but =
will be won In spite Of him. When the
MIMI lduS tOUlt UiHTC11lg Dp1Ile ~
will have ample time and cause for
ignominious reflections. Perhaps some
day he will realize that his doing moth
ing was more perilous than an active
and honest German propaganda y
any rate he will have done all he could
TO hlemsh the radiance Of Amerlcaa
scholarship and he will have the scan
comfort Of knowing that he purchae !
safety at the cost of public resp"
failing his country when the need Wa
most urgent. GARRETT W. THoMPso:'
Head Professor OF German, Ut.
versity of Maine.
OROSO. Me- ,July 9