GERMAN ARROGANCE

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2407, 12 March 1915, Page 8

GERMAN ARROGANCE

A FANTASTIC EFFUSION. The "Aberdeen Free Press," which is reckoned among the most serious -rind trustworthy/.of ."tlie universally serious newspapers jn Scotland, has provided us with the very .top nolo of German "swank." "Swank" is not a dictionary word) but fow people in this pushing age are unaware ,of its meaning. Tho revelation provided by our contemporary. is not quite first hand. It was originally published in the "Amsterdam Review," which vouches for its accuracy. One may certainly doubt whether a Dutch, or any. other than a German mind; could have .invented the intellectual creed of Professor Adolf Lasson, of the Berlin University. Its arrogance and megalomania have set the British public a-roaring over it, for hall' the week. Professor;Lasson is a well-known man, and he evidently possesses the true, professorial niodestv respecting the claims of. German "kultur."

But readers may form their own opinion" from this ; following extracts, taken from this fantastic effusion. The' letter ,- was written to a foreigner, which may account for the professor's opening words that a foreigner is Van enemy of Germany until he proves that he is not." "A man who is not German knows nothing of Germany," He then courageously adds : "We are morally and intellectually superior to _ all—without peers. The Kaiser, doliciae generis humani, has always protected peace, right, and honour; although it would have been possible for him by bis power to annihilate everything! The greater ,his success, the more modest Tie has become." "Our Chancellor is the most-eminent among men. who are now aliyo." "Our army is the image, in miniature, of the intelligence, and the morality, of the, Gorman'people." "We must sacrifice the best that ,we .have against Russian brutes, English mercenaries, and Belgian fanatics. The French-are • the most like us." , "We shall have no peace till these three European meddlers are stricken down." ''We are not aviolent people;. we do good to everybody." "Louvain has-not been destroyed; only the houses of the murderers. The 6tories of Germai) spies in Belgium are slanders. 1 Rheims Cathedral, has not been demolished. The French provoked the loss of what has been done to it." "Germany has taught the world to use conscience as the guide in diplomacy. England has a policy which reminds us of the eighteenth century. England is going to ruin. France may be saved. As to Russia, she must no more be our neighbour. This time wo shall, wipe the slate clean. Our true foe is England. Woe to you, Albion. God is with us, and is defending our just cause."- "To-day, Holland can think what she wishes; but every action hostile to'the German Empire will have the most serious consequences. For this Holland 'of to-day, we Germans have very little respect or sympathy. We are breathing with full chest, the large breath of- history, and we know nothing about this wretched bourgeois existence." "We have no friends. All fear us and look upon us as dangerous, because wc are intelligent, active, and morally superior. We are the freest people'in the world, because we'knowhow to obey. Our law is the law of reason." "The European conspiracy has woven around us a web of lies and slander. As for us, we are truthful. Our characteristics are humanity, gentleness, conscience, the virtues of Christ. In a world of wickednes*, we represent love, and God is with us." These surprising letters reveal the German national cult. They show some of the Bernhardi teaching, grown in an atmosphere of self-admiration. They illu'trate the pernicious doctrines which tlie professorial supermen of Germany are' imparting to their pupils. Adolf Lasson almost chokes under his country's self-imputed virtues; the usual balderdash about German culture, and .the world mission of his country. "Ho has touched the top knot of German arrogance," says' one writer, and such° will be the vordict of most readers. hen "the day" of settlement comes, what shall be done wit,l) these mad dogs of Europe? Public lawwill not allow them to be asphyxiated, To show .them round in cages might tempt the mob to destroy them.