Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1936-04-30
Contrasting Germany
And Great Britain

their people, hopes and desires,
written by James Wallace, presi-
dent emeritus of Manchester Col
lege, was published recently in
the st. Paul Pioneer Press. 1t
is worthy of thought and study
and therefore is herewith re-
printed:
There is only one defense that can
be made for the totalitarian state es-
tablished by the NaIs in Germany
That is that the German people are
so stolid, so ignorant, so untitled for
civil and religious liberty and par
liamentary government that they
must be ruled by despots and regi-
mented like an army.
| l refuse to hold so bad an opinion
of this great people. l spent some
time in Germany when young man.
No man can see the Germans on their
native heath without admiTing their
thrift, their industry, energy and re-
sourcefulness. They are one Of the
foremost branches Of the human fam
| lily. Their contributions to literature.
to science. art, philosophy. to all
branches of learning have been won
derful. But they have had one great
fault, due partly to their environ
ment and partly to their leaders and
teachers from Frederick the Great
down to Hitler. That fault is seen
in their opposition to civil liberty and
the inalienable rights of the people.
Cites Schurz' Flight.
One of the most remarkable con-
trasts in history is that between the
political development of Great Brit
ain and the political development Of
Prussianized Germany. That con-
trast can be stated in a nutshell.
Every movement in Great Britain for
retaining and extending the rights
and liberties of the people has been
/ successful and every similar move
ment in Prussianized Germany has
been crushed. every one from that Of
1S4S when Carl Schurz and other lib
erals had to flee to England or the
United States for their lives down to
the strangling of the German Re-
public three years ago.
The English people began early to
look after their rights. Disguised
with King Johns tyranny, the barons
drew up 60 definitions or assertions
of the rights of the people and COM
PEELED the king to sign the Great
Charter (Magna carta).
AS time went on this charter was
revised and adapted to meet the new
evasions of it by the kings. Finally
we have the Declaration of Rights
which King William and Mary had
to sign. The English developed the
House of Commons, made it truly
representative body, took the man
agement of the government out of the
hands of the kings and put it into the
hands of the prime minister and the
cabinet.
Speech Freedom Given.
When the House Of Lords proved
an obstruction to the progressive de-
velopment of the rights of the peo-
pie its veto power was taken away.
Complete freedom of opinion, discus
sion and debate has been established.
There is a state church, the Church
of England, but its leaders are free
to criticize the policies and acts of
the government. The religious press,
which is very able, has the same
rights, the same freedom.
So obsessed were the English with
the rights of the people that the
Scotch and the Welsh are given the
same representation in the House Of
Commons in proportion to the popula-
tion as the English. Though the
English blundered badly in handling
the Irish problem, yet finally they
gave them the right of autonomy.
Though the English made war on the
Dutch of South Africa, yet when she
had conquered them she gave them
the right of autonomy and four years
later they joined the South African
Union. That state with all the Do
minions were very loyal to Great
Britain during the great war and
South Africa contributed $4,000 SOL
diers to help the British, and General
Jan SHUTS helped write the treaty
of Versailles.
Responsible to Ruler.
| BY way of contrast Germany has
no such history, no Magma Carta, no
Bill of Rights, no Declaration of
Rights, no cabinet. She had prime
minister or chancellor but he was APP
pointed by the emperor and was re-
sponsible not to the Reichstag but
to the kaiser who init Got" dictated
the policies of the state.
An upper house, made up OF the
heads of the German states, was able
to defeat any legislation passed by
the Reichstag.
Under the Hitler regime freedom
of speech, of debate, of discussion
have been abolished. Freemasonry
the veterans organizations, the youth
organizations, the religious press
have all been abolished. No opposing
political party is allowed. No maj
dares to speak against Hitler to hi:
neighbor in any public club or place
: lest eavesdrcppers report him ant