What Germany Thinks; Or, The War as Germans see itSmith, Thomas F. A.
History
What Germany Thinks; Or, The War as Germans see it
Smith, Thomas F. A.
World War, 1914-1918
The other is taken from "Der englische Gedanke in Deutschland" ("The
English Idea in Germany,") by Ernst Müller-Holm, p. 72. "It is not true
that all Englishmen are scoundrels. It is not true that there is nothing
but pedlar's spirit in England, and because it is not true it should not
be said, not even in these times when war passions run high.
"The fatherland of Shakespeare, Byron and Thackeray; the home of Newton,
Adam Smith, Darwin and Lyell will ever remain a land of honour to
educated Germans. Where would it end if I were to count up the heroes of
English intellect whose names are written in letters of gold in
humanity's great book?"
It is well to conclude this chapter of hate with two quotations which
breathe respect. The author does not believe that German hate will be so
long-enduring as the hate-mongers would have us think. Rather, he is
convinced that mutual interest will force the two nations together
within one or two decades. Preparatory for that day, it is Britain's
duty to compel Germany's respect.
There are good, even magnificent forces in the German nation; there are
still noble-minded, high-thinking Germans who yearn to work in the great
civilizing world enterprises. But--and therein lies the tragedy--"the
good, the true, the pure, the just" are not to-day the predominating
powers. They must work out their own salvation; but if the time ever
comes when the finest and best German thought directs Germany's
destinies, then there will be no lack of sympathizers in this country,
who will hail the day as the advent of a new world era. For the present,
all mutual jealousies, all the burning ambitions, all quarrels and hate,
are submitted to the arbitrament of the sword. If Britain only wields
her sword so well and honourably, as to gain unstinted victory, that
will prove to be the firmest basis for future respect and enduring
peace.
CHAPTER XIII
"MAN TO MAN AND STEEL TO STEEL"
_Scott_.
Mention has already been made of German disrespect, even contempt for
England and the English. One of the reasons for this contempt was the
smallness of the British army, and the fact that our soldiers are paid
servants of the country. Germans apparently never could comprehend why a
man should receive payment for serving his country by bearing arms, and
that fact appeared to them to afford overwhelming evidence of the
pedlar-soul (_Krämergeist_). The second conclusion drawn, has generally
been that the Britisher is devoid of all sense of duty and
self-sacrificing patriotism. Probably the flocking of several million
men to arms in defence of the Empire, and in defence of British
conceptions of right and wrong has done something to convince Germans
that the premises of the syllogism, were not so self-evident as they had
imagined.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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