Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-01-03
AMERICA IS MODEL
FOR GERMANY NOW
Look to World Leadership of
United States for Inspira-
ton in Many Fields.
BY EDGAR ANsEL MOWRER.

BY EDGAR ANSEL MOWRER.
BY Radio TO The star and Chicago Daily News.
BERLIN, Germany, January 3
The first great American year" in
Europe has just ended. That com
pick Of factors-personal democracy,
technique and the Standardization OF
production, effected as much by
American prestige as by the invest
ment OF dollars-has bitten more
deeply into the German soul than into
the soul Of any other European
people.
Today the United States leads the
world. For power and prestige It Is
the only country which Germans
acknowledge as their master in vari-
Gus lines and seek to follow.
The writer has asked the opinions
OF several German specialists as to
the progress Of the Americanization
of their particular field. Their an
swers are Illuminating.
America has given much stimulus
to the Old World" replied Rudolf
Eucken. professor of philosophy in
the University of Gena. whom the
writer questioned regarding Amer
ica's spiritual contribution to Europe
But there has been no essential
deepening"
Interested in America.
The masses are deeply interested
in the life OF the average American .
according to konrad Maril, director of
the Fischer Publishing House Maril
notes the success of Rabbit and Tar
Fan and admits Il growing interest in
all sensational stories in which
h,.il lie talr ~
The Germans are Americanized in so
far as they have a growing cult for
the out OF doors and the primitive
but much of what Is active In Amer
ica has already been lived out in
Europe and the cleft between. Amer
ican and German literatures is still
unbridged.
DR.. Albert Mol. president of the
Psychological Society, refuses to ad.
init American primacy as seen in
such strange psychological movements
as spiritism and criminal psychology.
A few great mediums come from
America he writes, but the great
est are Europeans Yet it must be
admitted that the impetus to the &C.
cultist movement comes from Amer
lea. However. the maxim that every
th!ng extraordinary, particularly of
SWlndiinS character. has an American
origin is advanced only by the igno-
rant. During my travels l have con
WINGED myself of the serious contribu-
tons OF Americans to culture Even
the great progress in psycho-analysis
In America should not cause one to
forget that II had it's origin in,
Europe"
Standardizing of Industry.
Generally speaking, Germans admit
the necessity for certain Americaniza-
ton and standardization in industry.
Prof. II. Schumacher of the Uni
versity OF Berlin. deplores the fact
that Germans who have visited Amer
lea since the World War are so full
of admiration.
In standardiZing their industry" he
says, Americans have made theirs
the worlds leading country. This
Standardization may be considered the
most important single factor that has
appeared in the world of industry
since the war. 1t is comprehensive that
America Is so considered the model
that Germany must seek to initiate
it. DR.. Karl koettgen. president of
the board of the Siemens concern,
though admitting the influence of the
example of Henry Ford and other
great American industrialists. con-
siders that 1t Is true only in part that
American industrial methods are
superior to the German. Natural pros
perlty. better agricultural methods
and possibilities are, in his opinion,
responsible for Americas command
ing position.
In European countries" he asserts,
the people will not accept the stand
ardization Of certain types of mer.
chandise and produce and even the
United States has no place for a sec.
ond Ford. Europe is divided by
language and customs walls and must
adapt its methods to its specific
needs
Must Follow Example.
Edgar A9zler, director of the insti,
tute for labor psychology in the Berlin
Kaiser Wilhelm Society. writes:
"Taylorism has had a great infiu-
ence on Germany. Taylorism is a
method for obtaining the greatest re-
suits. but 1t Is careless OF the work
mans health. There are factories in
America where only workmen under
80 years of age can do the work re-
Quired. Germany must follow the
American example, but must use great
care to obtain the really best results.
Three ways must be followed. First,
special men must be sought for spe-
cial tasks; second. naturalization Of
processes; third. by careful examina-
ton through investigation and control
of the moment Of fatigue. The length
of the working period must be consid-
cred according to these three factors.
No general rule of eight hours en-
ployment should be the maximum.
Moreover. the future of the entire
wave of industrialization which passes
for American is very uncertain in so
far as industrial works will soon be
carried on with a minimum of human
participation"
Otto Julius Merkel, director of the
Aero Lloyd Air Traffic Co., admits the