The Dominion. SATURDAY, JUNE 5, 1915. A MAD NATION

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2480, 5 June 1915, Page 4

The Dominion. SATURDAY, JUNE 5, 1915. A MAD NATION

Accordi'jo •to a cablegram which appeared in The Dominion a few days ago, Dr. Sarolea, a distinguished Belgian scholar, has come to tho conclusion that the whole German nation is politically insane, and that the oountry is a vast lunatic asylum. Ho oontends that this assertion is not a mere metaphor or epigram, but a medical fact. Sucoess in war and commerce, we are told, appears to have upset the mental balance of tho people. German philosophers and historians have seized upon the idea that the Germans arc a race of supermen, and that the Fates have ordained that they shall rulo the world. Indeed, Dit. Sarole.o might have gone further and pointed out that the world is not big enough to satisfy Teutonic ambition. Treitschke has solemnly assured his countrymen that .the sceptre, of the Universe will belong to them. He is not having a joko at their expense. Ho really means what he says, and the great, majority of his readers think that it is quite unnecessary that evidence should bo produced in support of such self-evi-dent truths. Treitschke goes on to ask quite seriously, "What nation will impose its wishes upon other decadent and enfeebled people?" This is, of course, the allotted task of the Germans—"the chosen people" as they call themselves. The future belongs to Germany, so we are told, and "Bhe will have the mission to 'ensure the peace of the world." She ia_ now carrying out that mission— with fire and sword and poisonous gas. To the "dccadent and enfeebled people"—that is 'to say tho non-Ger-man nations—this sort of talk sounds like the ravings of maniacs, but it is obvious common sense to the Teutonic mind. Tho world has been horrified at the way in which Germany has broken the laws of God and man during the present war; and yet the Germans pride themselves on tho greatness of their moral ideas. They have made a special study of ethics. One of their many missions is to bring the ethical standards of humanity up to date. Professor Oswald, who occupies a high place in the German scientific worid, tells us how thoroughly this work is to be clone.

As for Germans (he writes), the splendid duty has been given to us to realise what the freat Teligions of the -worldBuddhism ChTistdanism, and Islamism— vainly attempted to do; tkat is, organise the universal empire of ethics.

The world is just at present receiving a practical demonstration of the working of this new ethical system invented by Nietzsche and improved for military purposes by tho Prussian Junkers. German professors cannot understand why their efforts to organise a "universal empire of ethics have evoked no enthusiasm in other countries. Foreigners aro so dull that thov seem unable to appreciate tho privilege of being ruled by the "mailed fist" of the Kaiser. German professors aro utterly incapable of seeing things from any point of view but their own. "They are so blind" (writes a French journalist) "that they do not even see that the whole world is turning away with terror from tho future which threatens it."

A few years ago a Hungarian professor, Emil Reich, wrote a book entitled Germany's Swelled Head. Englishmen laughed hea.rtily when they read the specimens of Gorman : boasting quoted in M. Heich's inter-! esting volume. We felt that 6uch wildly extravagant, outbursts of selfpraise could not be taken seriously by any sane mind. But subsequent ovents have shown that they have been taken very seriously indeed in Germany. We did not make allowance for the fact that nations can go mad a-s well as individuals. The minds of the German people have been saturated with the idea that they are destined for world dominion and that it is their duty to impose I heir "luiltur" on all other countries. The.y have gradually become obsessed with the desire for supremacy, and the present wa"r is the inevitable result. This obsession is a form of madness. In September last the Kaiser said to his soldiers: "On mo, as German Emperor, the Spirit of rir»r> btw deswsntM. .1 tfin , we&DOfl, His Bword, and His viimtl.",

Vainglory such as this is very liko lunacy. Nietzsche, tho philosopher of tho superman, lost his reason before lie died, and his form of delirium was tho same sort of inordinate conceit. The last book ho wrote was all about himself. Ecce Homo was the daring title ho gave it. Tho chapter headings remind one of the boastings of the Kaisek and German professors about the wonderful achievements of their nation in every sphere of human activity. Here are some of them: "Why am Iso wise?" "Why am Iso clever?" "Whv I write such excellent books." ! 'I did a host of things," ho writes, "of the highest rank—things that no man can do nowadays." He ended up by persuading himself that he was the Deity. Of course, this is sheer madness. But is it any wilder than tho national mania of Germany which finds expression in the assertion that "tho German people is the elect of God, and its enemies are the enemies of the Loud." While we may find it difficult to accept Dh. Sarolea's sweeping summing up of the German nationas a race of homicidal maniacs, it is really tho most charitable. explanation that can be advanced to account for the atrocious crimes with which Germany has outraged the conscience of tho whole civilised world.