HUMOURLESS HUNS

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 30, 30 October 1918, Page 8

HUMOURLESS HUNS

(By Henry de Halsalle, author of "Degenerate Germany," etc., in the Daily Mail.") *

If the humour or the lack of humour of a nation is a safe, guide - to its mentality (and it would appear to be.tiW) then I maintain that it is not difficult to place your finger on the weak spot ot Germany's mental armoury, for humour ehe does not possess. "They (the Germans) have produced no comedy," 6ays Lewes, in his "Life of Goethe"; and certainly since Lewes's remark the Germans have shown nothing to disprove his otafement. Dickens, Barrie,. or W. W. Jacobs—to name only three -British humourists —have no counterparts in Ger? man. • _

"True, Germany boasts a Bavarian "comic" paper, "ftmplicissimus," but ail analysis would 6hoiv that whereas humour of the simplo 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 6aid of "Jngend." ' The utter lack of German humour can fittingly be exemplified by two little incidents within my own knowledge., _ One happened at a "select" Riviera 0 hotel where German tourists were al- - ways discountenanced. .One day the proprietor, on the promise of extra payment, admitted a party of seven Teutons 'of both , sexes. Three men had the ' usual/student-duel scars on their faces; the rest were undoubtedly of the liighlywlucated class. At the end of tileir repast they all stood up and solemnly sang( - to the amazement of the French and , English , guests present,. "Der Wacbt am Bhein'-'P r ''

The other incident was this: In a Berlin music ball an. English "comedy duo" 6uddenly, after a pistol, shot, drew forth from a piano a piece of rope, which one nf them assured his audience was "The Lost Chord"; and although' Berliners Mfl well acquainted with the song theye was not a'smile at this ealpable bit of simple humour. "Acli, Gott," said 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 Chord.' "• Yr'hich remark in iiself explains much.