The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-08-04
To Serve, Not to Rule, Is Germanys Destiny
the Tutonc Reveals Vital Weaknesses Which Ma
Absurd the Claim of Pan Gemansm Cultural Leadership

edge than the Anglo-Saxon. In the ap-
plication of learning to practical living
be is awkward, at times almost helpless,
often stupid.
The German physician is better medl-
cal scholar than his Anglo-Saxon kins-
man, bit in diagnosis and general prac-
tice he falls behind. He is acquainted
with cases, can cite historical data, can
write papeA and learned books, but when
face to face with actual illnesses and sick
mortals his skill is not so great, his judy
ment not so accurate as that of his Amer
lean rival.
German Thoroughness Overrated.
The unlimited possibilities of electricity
in relation to the good of humanity do
not appeal to the German, who is more in
clined to confne himself to its scientific
aspects. As applied to cooking, heating,
improvement in telephone and telegraph
service, transportation, private and pub
lie comfort electricity is a distinctly
American product. Among the sciences
in general the German will be an author
ity, but the Anglo-Saxon will be the
leader, for the mastery belongs, and right
fully, too, to his kinetic mind, which with
less knowledge has unbounded initiative
and can make its little go further than the
much of its heavier, more passive neigh
Dor.
A natural by-product Of German pas
sivity is that thoroughness which every
son Of the fatherland can claim with Just
pride, which at the same time is in danger
Of being overestimated. The German in
telleet does not produce quickly; the Ger.
man will does not act swiftly. 1t caleu-
lates, measures, prepares, awaits results.
For forty years Germany planned a
war strategy with characteristic pains and
foresight; to this end she gathered men,
arms, equipment, munitions, all the ma
chinery Of conquest. When in 1914 it
seemed time to launch the great enter
prise she started the conflict believing it
could not fail. Why7 Because she had
used German methods and these she
viewed with German eyes and found Ger
manieally infallible.
The whole preparation was conducted
slowly, with infinite patience, in a thor
oughly German way. And yet, within
three years the Allies, learning from her,
built war machine equal to hers, in some
respects superior, a task which, had the
case been reversed, she could not have
accomplished so quickly. The Allies be-
ing capable Of a reader adaptation of
means to ends, with a resourcefulness
which far outshone German thoroughness,
met deliberate preparation with hasty
preparation and punctured forever the
bubble Of Teuton military invincibility.
Still a Nation of Peasants.
1t is quite essential that Americans
should study Germany from the stand
point Of her own claims These have been
loud and arrogant. No nation claims
audibly so exalted a place in the world as
she. No nation so assumes the role of
universal mentor. And yet no great ma
ton has continued TO live closer toNhe
soil or retained It's peasant characteristics
more clearly than Germany. In general
manners the Germans are not attractive
or authoritative. The sight Of one of
them swording his mouth with his knife is
no particular recommendation of the race
at large. The crude lack Of courtesy dis
played by the same individual toward
women, who seem to kiss the hand that
smites, does not quicken ones desire to
know them at close range
Exhibitions of Feasibility as practiscd
between man and man and man and
woman, which German men seem power
less TO control, are unique for their boor-
ishness and stand as repugnant evidences
Of grossness which no defence can
justify.
In all this we see the peasant, not the
citizen Of the world. For our polite