BRITAIN AND GERMANY.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1334, 11 January 1912, Page 4

BRITAIN AND GERMANY.

•» • PLEA FOE A SPIRIT OP BROTHERHOOD. A reference to the recent German war .scare gave to Dr. F. Schono's introductory remarks to his lecture at Victoia College last ovening considerable interest, as coming from a thoughtful and accomplished student, who is at once a patriotic citizen of the Fatherland and a sincere admirer of the British people. "There has recently been friction between the respective Governments and nations that you and I .belong to," he said, "and there is no denying the deplorablo fact that this friction was not a mere single transitory coritroverosy about a diplomatic difficulty; but only tho most recent link in a long chain of nioro or less severe outbreaks of quarrelling which have in the last ten years— if wo aro to believe allegedly well-in-formed authorities—more than onco brought to the verge of war two great nations, for tho steady development, yea, the very existence of either of which even a, successful European war would, as everybody knows, bo disastrous and ruinous. I am pleased to state that all earnest members of the British nation I came across during my travels did not leavo me in doubt as to their sincerely doploring this state of things. (Hear, hear.) They mostly agreed with me that one of the main reasons of'this calamity is the lack of gonuino information on ono another's , conditions, feelings, aims, etc. Many people on both sides gain practically all their informatin from tho nowspapcrs, in which they aTe only too ready to believo firmly, unable or unwilling to tako tiio trouble to discriminate between the probnblo and tho improbable, between tho genuine truth and sheer impossibility. This is a human weakness which will be, let us hope, nioro aud more overcome as general education, political comprehension and the general sense of responsibility advances. "To-day," ho continued, "it is still a factor to bo reckoned with, and it cannot bo (flo seriously condemned lhat on both sidus part of the press most unscrupulously spreads tho most appallingly irresponsible news of no substance whatever, and scandalously misrepresents facts with the result—if not the object—of embittering the mutual feding between two nations which, if only bv their common origin, and racial stock, ought, in a spirit of brotherhood, to bo able to find room in tho world, ono beside Ihe other, as peaceful neighbours and friends, and not to believo the expansion of tho one to bo the necessary encroachment on the other. (Applause.) I, therefore, harbour tho firm conviction (lint things can be bettered n good deal by a more frequent intcreotiife between tho members of the respective nations, and of recognising and appreciating the many common traits in the lives, feelings, and aspirations of the two nations. So." concluded Dr .Schone, ' 1 welcome the opportunity—at the same time feeling obliged to avail myself of it—of coming in touch with you here, and k>, perhaps, contributing in n small way to tho great end aS u bettor undei-sfcand-Iflfi between oui nations." (Applause)