THE COMING DEMOCRACY.

Hokitika Guardian, 22 December 1917, Page 4

THE COMING DEMOCRACY.

In “ The Coming Democracy,” Hermann Fernau, the author of that sensational and much-discussed book, “ Because I Am a German,” tells us that when a youth he “ excelled his schoolmates in the enumeration of tlie Prussian kings and their battles.” To-day he is a confirmed democrat and pacifist, convinced that the only hone for the future happiness of his own country and for the permanent preservation of tlie peace of Europe lies in tlie establishment of purely' democratic political institutions. Herr Fernau asserts that the whole German nation has been poisoned by lies, lies circulated in tlie interest of dynastic militarism. Germany', he maintains, must “get away from B’smarck,” and go back to the lines of classic Germanism, expressed in the words of Kant, words set forth as a motto on the title page of this book, namely, “The civil constitution of every State must be republican.” Germany, be holds, “no longer possesses a fatherland but only a dynasty.” It was puiely in the interests of dynastic militarism that Germany was so liberaliy fed on a diet of official mendicity' that to-day uinety'-nine out of every' hundred Germans firmly believe that England aud France plotted and planned the present war as a means to the extermination of Germany as a Power. Herr j Fernau says :

As a German patriot, I am proud to state here in the name of my country that two-thirds of the German electorate have a horror of a war of conquest; they secretly condemn the crimes committed against Belgium, and can only conceive the world-war as the result of Cossack invasions, bombs dropped by aviators, and “actual attacks.” Two-thirds of the German soldiery 'have taken the field with “ a clear conscience,” in the proud conviction that they are defending their country, and in the firm belietthat “ we ” did not want the war. I only wish that this tact could at length be clearly realised. The constant reproach that we are a servile nation, unripe for self Government, and craving for world-dominion, has not been levelled at us only by foreign nations, but, alas even bi r those few German Socialists and democrats who are, to -day, in opposition to the German people. They shrug their shoulders and inquire—What do } r ou expect. The whole German people stand behind its dynasty.. It is poisoned with militarism If Wilhelm II had not declared war on August i, 1914, our people would have forced him to do so.

Dynasties, not nations, desire and make external wars. It may seem curious that a professed patriot should regret the fact that Prussia has not been defeated since the Napoleonic wars, but the author’s argument is that the only way the militaristic ruling class which is personified in the house of Hohenzollern can maintain its authority is by successful external war, and the only means by which it can be overthrown is defeat in war. On this head the author remarks :

Victorious revolutions are only rendered possible by lost campaigns, and it is the misfortune of us Prussians that we have not lost a campaign since Jena. Yes, dear readers, it was iu truth a misfortune, for had Prussia been only once overcome, the “ old bankrupt firm ” (the firm of Monarchy by the Grace of God) would have been long since extinguished and the present war would not have come to pass. When Lamartine said: “It is not the country, but liberty, that is most imperilled in war,” he should have said “ in victorious war.” For every victorious war means for the victorious nation a loss of political liberties, whilst for the vanquished ' it is a fountain of inspiration and democratic progress. For what would happen if we Germans emerged victorious from this war ? Our victory would only ! mean a strengthening of the dynas-1 tic principle of arbitral power all 1 along tlie line. Those of us who ; bewail the political backwardness

of our Fatherland must realise that a “ German ” victory would prolong this backward condition for centuries. And not only Germany, but the whole of Europe, would have to suffer the consequences. All the political liberties painfully achieved during two centuries 1 would give way before the omnipotence of the victorious dynasty, and only their shadow would remain. 1 The German Socialists, for the most part, insist that the war is an inevitable outcome of capitalism, ;

and Herr Fernau admits that there may' be a certain amount of truth in the argument that capitalism is at the root of war. But this argument applies mainly to “ colonial adventures.” P'or the present war the Hohenzollern aud Hapsburg dynasties, with their unbounded criminal ambitions, are clearly far more to blame than any real or imaginary' international syndicate of capitalists. The final chapter of the book, every' page of which contains some enlightening sentence, and which evidences through a firm grip of tlie problems which confront Germany' and Europe to-day, and will be insistent for solution after the war, is an impassioned appeal for the triumph of sane and truly' democratic principles. The final sentences may' be quoted in full: —

No longer “ Deutschland über alles,” but Germany with and by the side of all. Only' so shall we be able to fulfil our true mission in the world. Onward ! ... to Democracy'.

Democracy', in the world as it is to-day,, is the only possible, the only desirable basis of any genuine culture. It is only' the mother that is able to bear,all the beautiful, promising children of whom we Germans spoke all too soon. Socialism, a true law of nations, intellectual liberty and, possibly', complete disarmament. Without democracy' these things will continue to lie what they' have been hitherto: caricatures and abortions. Onward! . . . to Democracy.

Democracy' is the only possible, only enduring basis of the future peace of nations. A peace concluded without a realisation of Kant’s fundamental demand would be only' patchwork and self-decep-tion. Onward! .... . to Democracy'.

This will and must to-morrow be the battle-cry of Europe in general, and of Germany in particular. j Away' from Bismarck ! Germany ; for the Germans.

Let that be the fruit of this ter- ' rible world-war for Germany. A copy of Herr Fernau’s eloquent j denunciation of the evils attending I an,autocratic and military govern- , ment should find a place in every , public library' in the Dominion.