HUMOURLESS HUNS

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 29, 29 October 1918, Page 8

HUMOURLESS HUNS

(By Henry de Halsalle, author of "De- | generate Germany,"' etc.; ■in the | "Daily Mail.") » | If the humour or the lack of humour | of a nation is a safe guide to its men- g tnli.ty (and it would appear to .be true) h then I maintain that it is not difficult " to place your finger on the weak spot ot Germany's mental armoury,, for humour _ she does not possess, "Tlley (the Germans) have produced no comedy," 6ays Lewes, in his "Life of'fioethe"; and certainly since Lewes'? remark the Germans have shown nothing to disprove his olatement. Dickens, Barrie, or W. W. f Jacobs—to name only three British liuaiourisls—have no counterparts in German.

"True, Germany boasts a Bavarian "comic" paper, "Siniplicisiimus," but an analysis would show that whereas humour of the simple variety supplies only some 5 per cent., ai.d vulgar "funnios- ; ity," say, another 10, the remaining 85 per cent, is made up. of bitter sarcasm, and obscenity. The same may be eaid of "Jugend." ' ' , Tho utter lack of German humour can fittingly bo exemplified by two little incidents withm my own knowledge. Qne happened at a "select" Eiviera hotel where German tourists were always discountenanced. One day tho - proprietor, on the promise of.extra payment, admitted a party of seven Teutons of both sexes. Three men had tho < usual student-duel scars on their faces; the rest were, undoubtedly of the highly v educator! clna's. At tho end of tlleir repast they all etoodup and solemnly sang( .- to; tho amazement of trie French and' English guests present, "Der Wacht nm Khein"!

Tl(e other incident was this: Tn a Berlin music hnll an English "comedy duo" suddenly, after a pistol shot, drew forth from a pinno a piece of rope, which one of them assured his audience, was "Tho Lost Chord"; and Although Kerliners arc well acquainted with the son£ there was not n, smile at this galpable bit of simple'humour. >. .. i "Ach, Gott," eaid a German professor friend of mine sitting with, me, "How stupid you English are! That might be the 'Lost Rope,' but it cannot be the "Lost N Chord.'" . : . Which remark in tyself explains much.