South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1920-02-11

son Of the porter, although a re-
markedly bright lad. was permitted
TO &c only TO the "Voikschule" and
then set 10 work in the factory, he
was told that he ought not to ques-
ton the divine institutions OF So
ciety and to devote his attention to
forwarding his own interests instead
Of bothering his head with useless
speculations about others. His par
ents, relatives, and teachers united
in exhorting him TO be strong and
courageous and to get ahead and
earn money, and 20 win high posi-
ton.
A Sunday Doctrine.
To be sure, this did not fully
accord with what he was taught in
school concerning religion. Humility
and simplicity and honor were given
some formal attention there, and he
heard of the vanity of heroism and
warlike success and early attain
ment: but he gained the impre ssion
that this doctrine applied to another
world. or at least was limited 10
Sundays and holidays. These were
the only occasions when a man
really ought to follow Christ. The
person who was peace-loving and
sympathetic on workdays and not
conferred on making money, who
had love for his fellow men and was
ready TO share his plenty with the
poor, would never get forward and
was headed straight toward life in
an attic. Religious instruction and
the rest of the school course were
not correlated. The total effect of
school influence was 10 leave him
with an impression that the old
Germanic gods still ruled in heaven
History covered a broad field-at
least, what they called history. lis
there really such a thing? Is IL any
thing more than the vision OF an in
diyidual temperament. than a tradi-
tiOn-an accepted fairy tale which
is inherited from generation TO gem
Grafton? Just imagine what the his
tory from the years 1914 10 1915 Will
be In different countries, If things
go on as they always have doneD
He was saturated with patriotism,
like a sponge with water. His own
country was always divinely right
and always did greater things than
any other country. He had 10 mem
orize multitudes of dates and royal
names. History was record Of
kings and commanders and wars
and soldiers This did not apply 10
what was taught the boys alone.
His sister. Bertha, went to the gym
nasium. In her junior year she was
required TO draw the strategic plan
of deLIoyment for the battle of Den
newitZ, where the Prussian general,
Won Bulow, defeated Marshal Ney in
1913. Alas. for the boy who did not
know all the principal battles from
Cannae 10 Sedan, 1t was not neces-
sary to know much OF peoples. their
character and modes of thought,
and their intellectual and economic
development. All his teaching was
GermanOcentric, and the two ma
tional holidays of the year, the en-
peror's birthday and Sedan day, were
always observed with formal speech
1 es-" Because the German is the
most industrious and most compe-
tent of men he is hated. For cen
/ turtles his cunning neighbOrs pre-
vented him in his innocence and
good nature from attaining nation
al unity. The bravest of his race had
20 fight for this ideal with the
sword. They became the leaders OF
the new advance Now the Germans
have reached the summit of power
and are more hated than ever. Any
day the hour may strike which
forces them TO draw the sword. Tha;