New Ulm review., 1918-08-07
GERMAN LANGUAGE
- STUDY IN ENGLAND

- STUDY IN ENGLAND
The Modern Language Association
of Great Britain, after three years of
discussion and frequent meetings Of its
committee appointed to. confer with
the government committee on educa-
ton, has submitted the following memo
randum of it's findings:
"In considering the position of the
study of German after the war, it is
necessary to view the question dispassion-
ately, and any change introduced dur
ing the present war should be calmly
and seriously weighed. Any precipitate
action at the present time likely to
jeopardize the future position of that
study is therefore to be deprecated. The
question of the exclusion or inclusion of
any particular language should depend
on it's value to the nation in the widest
sense, and not so much on any feeling,
whether of friendship or hostility, to
the people or peoples by which it is
spoken.
"In the special case Of German at
the present juncture we cannot dispose
of the problem by hasty generalization.
To say that if German was good
subject before the war, it is a good
subject now, contains such an. ad-
mixture of the false and the true, that
it confuses rather than clears the issue.
The war has changed for some time
the conditions under which we live.
''If we enter upon that longer COM
petition with Germany by which this
war, whatever it's issue, is bound to be
followed, on the unequal terms suggested
by some extremists, namely, that the
Germans shall fight equipped with our
language, learning, and science as we'll
as their own, while we rely on ours,-
the disadvantage to us is obvious. If
we are to remain their enemies, we shall
be more formidable enemies for knowing
their language, and making use of their
science and learning If we are ultim-
ately to resume normal relations with
them the argument becomes unnecessary.
"In view of all the facts known, we
imagine that few would maintain that
the attention devoted to German in our
schools and universities before the war
exceeded the limits justified by the i'm
portance of knowledge of German and
German-speaking countries. We hold
that in no way adequately reflected that
Importance. The study Of German has
inevitably suffered during the war, but
we are of the opinion that to allow any
diminution to take place, or even to
accept the present reduced scale as per-
manent, would be a national dis
advantage"
| Some of the names that stand forth
among these English advocates of Ger
man language study are G. E. Herford,
professor of English, Manchester; DR..
Macan, master Of University college,
Oxford; Allison Peers, headmaster at
Felstead; S. A. Richards, professor of
French, Manchester; Prof. Waterhouse,
Of Dublin university; Prof. Montgomery,
Prof. R. W. Williams and many others.
A few brief extracts from their opinions
may be quoted. This from Prof. Rich
ards: -
Germany will not shed tears if French
and English children will not longer
study German. She will learn French
and English more than ever. Her
clever travellers will tout her wares
through Europe, speaking the vernacular
fluently. 1t is a mistake to underrate
the enemy and that form Of vengeance
which consists in cutting off ones nose
l to spite the face is not very satisfying .
The same view is taken by Prof.
: Waterhouse:
'The elimination of German will not
hurt the Germans, but us. Germany
obtained it's influence in England by
its exhaustive study Of languages
! German is the language Of the whole
: central Europe. Reluctance on the par,
/, Of the English to have intercourse with
the Germans will only benefit the middle.
LINEN the zDuteh the Danes, and the
;. Swiss will wax fat.