Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1918-04-26

Shall We Teach German Language?
To our mind one of the serious
problems arising from status Of
war" with the people of another great
nation, is the question now agitatins
the minds of American educators and
leaders Of thought-the teaching Of
German language in our schools.
We may claim. in argument, that
there is an idealistic side and 4
practical side. but does not one blend
strongly into the other?
We may say in defence Of the
practical that Germany IS not go
ing out of existence when defeated;
that there Is a scientificc literature in
the German tongue that is bound to
live and figure in world progress in
the German language in days to come
to round out the culture to which we
aspire; that our President has con
ceived world disarmed and all peo-
pies living in free, social and econ
omic intercourse; that Germany.
chastened and relieved Of her burden
of Kultur, Prussianism and Hohen-
zollern ambition, will be a neighbor
Of worth and respect; that we. as
people. are pledged to German
nation relieved of its grievous handi-
cap and with a government which
other nations can trust.
And after we have claimed and ad-
mitted all these things are they not
more than balanced by the solemn
fact that the strongest lever in the
Prussian machine is its insidious
propaganda, sowed in the soil that
has been cleared by German language,
plowed by the interest created in
German literature. art. traditions by
teaching that language. and har-
rowed by use of the admiration and
respect created in the minds of
pupils if they are to make progress
in that language?
We do not admit the pretense that
hate" - silly, uniformed. I'M
American hate-fgures in the cam
paisn to Danish German from the
curriculums of public schools, tenn
porarily at least, let US say until we
have conquered the insidious propa-
ganda Of Hohenzollernism that we
now know has been undermining,
back-stabbing every other govern
ment on earth.
II explosives and weapons of steel
are to be taken from the hands Of ELL
nations as an age-long. world peace
precautton SO, also, must be taken
from the hands of those who have
been dastardly enough to make us Of
It. the weapon Of cowardly propa- :
ganda.
As we prepare for one we must also
prepare for the other. and as we in
terest our students in German Ian
guage we prepare the soil for propa- :
ganda that has already cost us dear,
that has brought Russia to anarchy
and a state of national impotency
that can only be corrected by years
and the unselfsh friendship of great
nations; that has ruined Roumenia,
cost italy 10000 men at one sweep;
that holds Mexico against us today,
played Japan against almost to the
raw edge of war, and has figured
VIGOROUSLY in every civilized capital.
Let us consider few accepted
conditions: To teach any language
successfully We must first get stu
dents in sympathy with it. We
must excite their interest by prais-
ing the people who use it. We must
prove 20 them the future usefulness
with them on imaginary journeys
where such language Is universal
And above all. we must have no
antagonism from the students own
convictions developed from the bit
terness Of war.
DO you suppose that English is
being taught In the schools OF Ger
many today? DO you suppose that
the Hymn Of Hate" has been trans
lated into English for the use of stu
dents in that language? How would
you interest students Of English in
our language while teaching the all
possessing hatred now being sys-
tematically installed into the young
German mind by the kaiser's or
ders?
The American government has
proof Of the sleepless campaign Of
hate In Germany. We know that
sedition has boon insidiousiy infiamed
in our own schapis by German teach
ers and others. Shall We halt IL now.
a. We are selling other evils. or
shall We pander with 1t. handle It
gingerly. or even deal with IL accord
ing to the subtle art OF the pacifist?