The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-08-04

fee of feminine virtue that men, and more
men, may be begotten to swell the ranks
of future armies Of course the insult
will be borne and obeyed by the German
helpmate, who will unsex herself for the
glory of the fatherland. But it is a
glory in which women will never partici
pate, and their spineless acquiescence Is
already their strongest condemnation.
There is, then, something quite absurd
in Germany's claim to the cultural lead
ership which the triumph of Pan-German-
ism would insure to her. Still wrapt about
by primitive peasant conditions, she as
pires to occupy social position to which
her crudeness does not entitle her. She
possesses, to be sure, certain homely
qualities, thrift, simplicity, general hon
esty, frugality, &C., but they reflect the
older feudal relations; they are provin-
cial. She lacks a moral depth, a cosmo-
politan breadth, cultural height which,
whatever her military success, would be
essential to any sort of supremacy.
AuheoFy >ohGoA SaPtS"S.
have no disposition to deny that Ger
many has built up q powerful state, but
it is an easily explained greatness. And
what is better for all Of us, after the war
it will be an exploded greatness, The iron
hand of discipline has made the German
state rigid system guided by set Of
rigid minds and destined by them to n
rigid future. How was this process Of
rigidity possible' Only because the Ger
man race is in itself passive.
Weak in initiative, it does not rebel. 1t
suffers, believes, is stoical rather than re-
active. On no other race could such a
brutal, soulless system be fastened without
a bloody revolution. Even Russia, the
land of the simple hearted moujik,
reached the limit of endurance and turned
against a similar regime.
The German Government rests its Sc
curity on two bases-its military control
over the people; their confidence in its eff
ficiency. The autocracy of Germany be-
lieves that the slow, heavy, plodding, pa
tient, thorough peasant citizen will never
resist. 1t is precisely this belief which
makes German autocracy so absolute.
Such confidence presupposes Teutonlc
dulness of intellect, a chronic ignorance, a
contented acquiesccnce, an unshakable
trust
The originality of the German mind has
been overestimated. Its power to do
things well must not be confused with the
power to create. The brilliant visualizing
of the Celt the Teuton does not possess.
The judicial balance of the Roman is
lacking, as is also the kinetic energy of
the Anglo-Saxon.
Some years ago prominent German
professor remarked to me in moment
of bitter arrangement Of his counlry's
foibles:
Eve Germans are an unhappy race. We
are jealous of You Anglo Saxons. You
are ingenious. / know your splendid ere
atoms. We Germans can only, | would
almost say can scarcely, intimate"
Significant also is the comment of
German lady of literary note: ?
.The Germans are sensitive. quite con
scious of their shortcomings when
matched with other nations. These. how
ever, they try TO cover up by front of
assurance, though inwardly they are dis
turbed enough"
Debtor to Other Lands.
In the sciences. public works, music
and art it is astonishing how much is
loosely ascribed to German sources which
is in reality the contribution of other ma
lions. Perhaps only the student of lit
erature knows how heavily Germany has
drawn on foreign minds for Inspiration