Coe, R. A.

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GERMAN CIVILIZATION THE HOPE OF THEFUTURE.BY R. A. COE.SINCE the outbreak of the present war it is almost impossibleto obtain in the American press a presentation of the Germanside of the case. Very few journals in this country have the im-partiality to give due space to the German side of the question, and,although a few able statements of the German case have appearedin this country, they have mostly been academic in character ; so Ihave attempted to present the question in such a way as to appealto the rank and file of Americans. I feel so deeply on the questionthat I would like, if such a thing were possible, to say to all Amer-ican people what I know and feel about the German people, in thistheir greatest struggle for the maintenance of their civilization.My ancestors were English who came to America in colonialtimes. Several of them served in the American armies in the Revo-lutionary War. I mention this, not that it is of the slightest im-portance to any one, but simply to show that I am one of perhapsa few of those of English descent who have sympathy with Ger-many in this fight of the fatherland for what I consider the preser-vation of the greatest civilization that has ever arisen upon thisearth. I read a great deal about the Germany of Goethe andSchiller, and about German science, German industry and thrift,from the pens of many writers who in the same articles denouncethe German government and what they term German militarism.They tell us in effect that this war is to overthrow the Germangovernment and German militarism. In other words, what theypropose to do is to have the Russian teach the German how to beclean and sanitary ; the Latin teach him sanity and stability of char-acter, and how to be truthful ; the Japanese teach him how to behonest ; the Englishman teach him diplomacy, Christianize him,liberalize him. These things in effect are what so-called writers inGERMAN CIVILIZATION THE HOPE OF THE FUTURE. 297the American press and periodicals are actually telling the Americanpeople. Even some people of German descent express these views.It seems to me, when I read much of the stuff that has been writtenabout Germany recently, that many writers who have been con-sidered persons of unquestioned sanity and judgment have beenturned topsy-turvy and have lost every sense of reason and sobrietywhen they come to deal with the present war. As before said, theyeulogize German progress and denounce the very thing that madeGerman progress a possibility.What I admire in the German people is their honesty, theirstability of character, their solid qualities, their love of order andsystem, their ability to establish just government. The fact that inGermany they have solved, or nearly solved, so many governmentaland social problems has only been possible because of a stronggovernment. We could not have had the modern Germany ofscience, industry and progress but for the constructive work ofstatesmen like Bismarck. All the things which Germany has at-tained would have been utterly impossible but for her strong govern-ment and her ability to defend this because of her military system.It seems so strange to me that even men like Oswald G. Villardoverlook this fact.I have just received and read in the December Open Court thearticle by Poultney Bigelow. His analysis of the situation appearsto me to be as erratic as most of the other stuff I have read fromEnglish pens. Let me briefly sum it up: The superiority of theEnglish form of government over that of the German—England aliberal, democratic country composed of 400,000,000 patriotic citi-zens. This is his point of view, and the current one too. Butamong these 400,000,000, let me ask, what is the i)ercentage of illit-eracy? With the exception of Canada and Australia, what is tliecondition of the native population of her colonies? India, the prin-cipal of her possessions, with 300,000,000 pojnilation, exports anannual average of about 100,000,000 bushels of wheat. What per-centage of the native population have ever eaten wheat in anvform? What percentage of them, as compared with other portionsof the world, die of famine and starvation ; what percentage ofthem are any the less illiterate since they have been under the Englishgovernment? And again, what percentage of them are in the slight-est degree any better off than they were, since they have been underthe English government? Now the English army—of what is therank and file composed? Are they patriotic English citizens en-listed for the defense of their countrv? Rather, are thev not hire-298 THE OPEN COURT.lings of all shades of complexion, of all kinds of religion and ofvarious nationalities, many of them bloodthirsty savages who enlistfor a meagre month-ly salary because it is the easiest way open tothem to eke out an existence? At home in England are they turn-ing away volunteers for service in the English army? The averageTommy Atkins, from other points of view, what sort of chap ishe? The best thing about him is what there is of Teutonic bloodin his veins. This has left him a foundation out of which betterstuff might be developed than he is at present. Is he at presentwell-educated, well-trained, efficient, intelligently patriotic? Hashis individual progress been a marvel in this age? He has his goodqualities, but he is coarse, vulgar, egotistic, overbearing, certainlyvery much lacking in all the qualities that culture gives. He be-lieves the gold brick handed out to him in England in the nameof liberty is genuine. He is given certain licenses, it is true, whichhe thinks are liberties. We must judge the English system andthe English government by the fruit that it bears, and we mustmeasure the German system and the German government by thesame measure. From the Encyclopcrdia Brifannica Year Book,1913, we learn that the German percentage of illiteracy is a verysmall fraction of one per cent. I learn from the issue of the NewYork Nation of April 2, 1914, that Germany doubled her wealth inten years—something never approached by any other nation. Weknow that every German citizen can provide against want for hisfamily by insurance at a minimum of cost not attained in anyother country, under any other system. We know that he has aphysical, moral and intellectual training superior to any other na-tion. We know that (Germany, in proportion to population andarea, produces more and provides better for her people than anyother country. A number of years ago 1 learned that the averagelength of life was greater in Germany than in any other country,that the average (ierman exceeded other peoples in chest expan-sion, in physical development.Now, about the question of patriotism,—has the world everbefore witnessed a spectacle like that when the German emperorinvited to his presence in the royal palace the members of theGerman Reichstag, and placed before them the correspondencebetween the governments of the various nations relative to thepresent war?—and from his view of the situation there was not onesingle dissenting voice. Has the world ever seen a spectacle likethe unanimity of the German people—men, women and children—as to the justness of their side in this war, and their willingnessGERMAN CIVILIZATION THE HOPE OF THE FUTURE. 299to make any sacrifice for their fatherland—property, Hfe, every-thing they possess? Does that argue average dissent or generaldissatisfaction with the kind of government they have? Or, notto be too lengthy and tiresome, if we judge a tree by the fruit thatit bears, it seems to me preference must be given to Germany ratherthan to any of the nations with whom she is at war. To this 1might add a quotation from an article on the "Wealth of (lermany,"in the Xew York Nation, April 2, 1014: "German wealth is esti-mated to be $99,000,000,000, and fully one-tenth of this belongs tothe state,—that means to the people—chiell\- in the form of rail-ways, mines, buildings, factories and canals. bYom this govern-ment-owned property a considerable percentage of revenue is real-ized, lessening the burden of taxation upon the people. A continua-tion of this system will, in time, bring the German government intoa position in which no taxes need be collected from the people."Now, as to the question of government, the right of suffrage,when properly understood, is as fairly distributed as in any othercountry. In proof of that, there have been as many as 12.000.000votes polled in Germany out of a population of 66.000.000. In whatother country has that percentage ever been polled? Has it beeneven in our own country? The proper adjustment of the govern-mental machinery is indicated by the equilibrium between the repre-sentatives of the various classes and interests involved. (lermanyhas one hundred and ten socialist members in her representativebody, and a proportionate representation is maintained for wealth,labor, and dififerent religious parties, as in no other country. Letme ask Mr. Poultney l>igelo\v what percentage of England's 400-000,000 he supposes will volunteer for service in England's armies.Is the percentage large, even in Canada or Australia? Is it largeat home? On the other hand, does he not realize that there arevery few (Germans in any country, under any clime, that are notready to render any service in their ])ower for their fatherland?I believe (Germany could raise an army (if it were possible to getthem home) in America alone larger than will \'olunteer for ser-vice for En.gland out of her 400,000,000. Does this argue any lackof patriotism, sympathy or satisfaction with the government of thefatherland?Now. there is one more question 4hat is being very much dis-cussed—English writers attribute the causes of the war to Germanyor to German militarism. Owing to German good sense and theirmaintaining a military equipment sufficient for defense, too strongprior to 1914 to be attacked, we had peace in Europe for forty-300 THE OPEN COURT.four years, with France all the time preaching revenge and, throughher press and from many sources, insulting the German people.There have been a number of times during that interval when cir-cumstances and interests would have held German alliances intact.At the time of the Russo-Japanese war she could easily have crushedFrance, owing to Russia's inability to assist ; or she could haveeasily and safely attacked both Russia and France had she hadany designs such as are at present attributed to her ; or might shenot have conquered Belgium at the time of the Boer war? Hasshe not been at peace during a period of forty-four years with allthe small nations adjoining her? And she would to-day be at peacewith Belgium but for English intrigue. Not only has Germany,prior to this war, been at peace for forty-four years, but herefficient military system and citizen soldiery have especially keptFrance at peace. Read French history prior to forty-four yearsago. Has she ever so nearly had stability of government? Didshe ever before make any such percentage of progress along alllines as she has during the last forty-four years?—and in myopinion she owes it wholly to the fact that a big policeman wasjust across the border, who made her behave herself. And so theprogress of Germany's allies has been made possible by the pro-tection of her so much denounced military system (her efficientcitizen soldiery).I might write at length on what German industrial developmenthas done for all mankind. Take only one item, sugar. What wouldbe the price to-day to the consumer in any part of the world, if youdeduct what German enterprise has done for that industry?How about England's relationship to the peace of the world?Deduct her intrigue for the last hundred years and most of thecalamitous wars could have been averted. We need only mentionthe Crimean war, the Russo-Turkish war, the Russo-Japanese war,as well as the present world calamity, all of which we owe to Eng-lish international politics and intrigue. Nor has English meddlingwith the afifairs of other nations been alone confined to Europe.No other nation has ever attempted to meddle with Americanafifairs. Her intrigue during the Civil War was an endeavor tobring about the division of the nation. Without any real friend-ship for either section, her object was to separate them in orderto weaken them. Americans should remember the Sackville inci-dent of October, 1888, as an illustration of English meddling withour domestic affairs. They should not forget the Venezuelan con-troversy, or things more recent—the jingoist English methods em-GERMAN CIVILIZATION THE HOPE OF THE FUTURE. 301ployed to defeat the American-Canadian reciprocity measure, andour strained relations with japan, no longer ago than last winter,when President \\'ilson made a personal appeal to the AmericanCongress to repeal the Free Tolls measure hecause there were dip-lomatic reasons necessitating it. It will be recalled that sliortlyafter the repeal of the measure our friction with japan ceased.We can never have international jieacc imtil I'^nglish intrigue isgiven a black eye. This can only be done by some other powerbuilding a navy large enough to compel England to attend to herown affairs. It is not very hard to show that she has been theinternational trouble-maker. These are statements, but by goinginto detail I can verify them.As before stated, I am of English ancestry, yet I have an in-tense sympathy with and for the German people, and believe that al-though so greatly outnumbered by the allies in men and resources,Germany is going to win in this fight, and that the greatest civiliza-tion that has ever arisen on this earth is going to be preserved forthe continued betterment, not only of those who love the Germanfatherland, but for all mankind. German honesty, morality, scien-tific, social and cultural development, protected by her strong gov-ernment made possible only by her citizen military system, aregoing to continue to hold in check and keep a brake on Russiansavagery, French hysteria and want of balance, English politicaltrickery and intrigue, and, because of the intelligent patriotism andindividual efficiency of her people for whatever duty calls uponthem to do, they are going to win this fight.

German Civilisation the Hope of the Future.

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German Civilisation the Hope of the Future.

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