The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1919-05-28
GERMAN MIND. J.. !. !.
:. :. HAS CONE Wild
Nation Is Struggling Under Tenn
.. 'porary Insanity. ... Il.
DEtuSI0NS As TO PEACE

People Believe Germany Was Not
Beaten Militarily, but Simply Got
Hungry and Sick Of War and There
fore Accepted Entente Conditions
They Now Talk Of the "Next War"
and Revenge While Their Nation
Perishes. ~
German psychology has always nar-
ae6 the rest Of the world. or at least
those who tried to understand why a
German thought as he did. The world
ts due fosaa still worse battling If 1t
sries to understand what goes on in
The German mind today.
Mentally. the German mind, sudden
y thrown upon its own resources by
The fall of the old system which fed
people thoughts as well as food, has
gone wild. Under the strain OF the
war and due to the sudden changes,
the Germans have become childlike
psychologicaly. This is taking Ger
mans generally.
Thoughtful, serious Germans. when
sen occasionally and them, realize the
temporary insanity, If 1t can be called
that, under which the Germans as
nation are struggling.
1t is the only way of understanding
the lackssQf realization as to the real
condition of things, a wave of which
has swept Germany. No one looks far
Their than his nose, and every man and
woman is interested entirely In his
or her immediate self. There is little
broad vision expressed in papers. in
speeches. or in personal opinion as you
hear them in Germany
Talk ossNext War;" &
TO cite specific cases. The peace
and why 1t was signed Is one of the
German decisions. Practically every
man, woman and child believes Ger
many was not defeated militarily, but
sinply got hungry and sick Of war. and
therefore accepted the entente condi-
dons. This belief prevails in spite Of
he public statements of men like Err
berger, who have told the Germans
their armies were defeated militarily.
Perhaps this belief fosters the talk
regarding "the next war" Not only
occasionally but frequently. and by all
classes Of people you are asked:
@WeAl. when Is the next rwar coming?"
Often Germans go Farther than that
and speak specifically OF the "next
war with France to get revenge"
There is war talk' on all ilands.' though
Germany is in q state of collapse that
s'alnost hopeless, and Is entirely de-
pehdent upon the will Of the allies for
her future.
How much the German believes Of
Wat he says Is another matter. Prob
ally he Is out Of his head. but this
came disInclination to realize actual
coalitions as they were led the Ger
asan to support the military class dur
ing tile first four years Of the war.
The German apparently does not think
things out any more than he did.
IN his attitude regarding the entente
he German manifcsts about the same
, 5readth Of vision. Papers are filled
with vindic,ivc articles, much Of which
ss furnished by bureaus established for
sl,e purpose In Holland and SwItZer
taRa. which carry sensation rather
thar news.
Whether this campaign TO STIR up
AAtred Is organized Is not certain. But
the fact remains that Germans are be-
ing inspired with hatred II France
that never existed before, and that
makes being good neighbors the more
s11icult.. "
Strikes Now the Rage.
II is no uncommon thing for half
dozen or more strikes to occur because
one group Of people demand better
Day, Or because law is not passed as
quickly as 4 certain class wishes. No
doubt the conditions are bad, but tho
strikes for sympathy just make them
worse. Employers find that wQrkmen
who have come from the front are only
half us efficient, not because they are
out Of practice, but because Of the ab-
normal psychology under which they
1--we now. Mentally, they have become
hoasheyik, cratic and lazy.
This wave Of responsibility is one
II the greatest dangers Germany faces
and makes the establishment Of the
new republic extremely difficult. The
gcvernment claims 1t is due to under
nourfshment, which Is partly true. but
not entirely. since groups Of men who
have been well fed are subject to the
same germ Of loose thinking.
One Of the results of the Wa. has
hsen thesilack of respect for law and
order and a carelessness with human
life. 1t has made the Germans ready
10 use arms for any small issue they
aeem unsettleable otherwise.
Probably 1t will be question If
years before the German becomes
3ear-headed and clear-thinking. He
started out with an abnormal psychol-
eey, inspired by conceit. and the war
gradually made him ripe for the rnen-
tai collapse that took place with the
sevolution.
GETS HIS FATHER OUT