Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-08-08
GERMAN STUDENTS
CHERISH KA|SER|SM
SWashbuckIing, Mi|itaristic
Element Live in Dreams of
Imperial Days.
BY MAMMALIAN HARDEN,


BY haElO TO Tile Star.
BERLIN. August For Germans,
Bonn is the city where the sons of
kaisers, kings and grand dukes
court attaches, ambassadors and min
listers lived according to the students
code, fought duels and drank vast
quantities of beer.
For foreigners, Bonn is Beethoven's
birthplace. The Germany of genial
art and the later Germany of correct
Prussian raison d'etre have both their
shrines of remembrance here.
And here, in the first days Of Au-
gust, the chief part Of tomorroW's in
tellectual Germany. the German uni
versity students, hold their annual
congress.
Youths Live In Past.
An army of sturdy youths appeared
with bright caps, sabers, gay corps
uniforms and high boots, and it soon
became evident that the gulf between
these students who protect their hon.
ors. or phantoms Of honor, with swords
and those young fellows who are only
concerned to acquire learning, had not
become any smaller since the over
throw of the empire.
The name of the hall where the
congress was held-Beethoven Hall
awakened no echo. The rudely painted
scenery of yesterday was showed be-
fore the despised today TO strengthen
the belief that only Imperial Germany
is worthy to be called the Fatherland
of these young men. The big
majority remained away from the hall
until the hated Republican flag had
been removed.
Given Wrong Perspective.
An all too impulsive tendency to
espouse everything new has always
been regarded as a dangerous char
acteristic of youth. The German stu
dents appear to be drawn back to the
old by all the urges of feeling. They
dissipate their strength in the fight
against the republic, it's symbols and
it's representatives.
Father had to surrender his high
official position. Brother had to dOff
his bright uniform Of an officer. The
family's privileges of rank and it's
income vanished. Traditional con-
cepts of honor were Knocked at,
and these growing youths heard daily,
at home and at school, that the Ger
man people could flourish only under
a monarchy, only under the protection
Of strictly disciplined military might
They do not observe that, despite
the loss Of men, provinces. colonies
and capital, Germany fiourishes again,
that she is regarded with friendly
ewes. and is more Zealously wooed
than in the Kaiser's days. The only
thing that seems to them worthwhile
is that which no longer exists.
Living in Illusions.
Vanished glory is to be replaced
by apotheosis of foreigners and anti
semitism The conception of hui
mainly. democracy and parliamentary
self government are attacked as
damaging Jewish inventions.
Without realizing it, these youths,
who are so proud of their pure Ger
manic militant Christianity, are them
selves living in ghetto of moldering
Illusions. They must emerge and in
the whirling currents of a free world
learn that ideals are as mortal as
humans. and that new times call to
new duties.
If tomorrow's task be once realized
to increase steadily the number of
those warmed by the sun OF culture,
and to create the organs needed for
Europe's healthy eXistence-then there
will be a, resurrection in Beethoven
Hall of that genius who, instead of
uuarreling with Heaven for deafening
him, made mankind send up the Jubl-
liant cry, Joy, beautiful, Divine
spark, daughter Of Elysium!"
Copyright. 1920