THE GREAT WAR AND ITS LESSONS.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 4, Issue 16, 26 February 1915, Page 3 (Supplement)

THE GREAT WAR AND ITS LESSONS.

ADDRESS BY MAJOR-GENERAL SIR ALFRED TURNER.

An address on th© war was given last month by Major-General Sir Alfred Turner, K.C.8., in London, in connection with the Psychic Social Centre. Mme. la Comptesse H. Tomasavic presiding. Sir Alfred Turner, in the first part of his address, dealt very fully with the circumstances which led to the war. In the course of his remarks lie referred to the devious methods of German diplomacy—a "(combination of intense mendacity and intense stupidity," to the fears of Bismarck (whose prescience had been amply justified) that the Kaiser's career would in some respects repeat that of his gi'eat uncle, and that he would involve himself in war with France and Russia. There was never a more justifiable war than that which •the All'es were waging for the freedom of Europe. The ono person chiefly responsible was the Waiser, a word from whom could have prevented tile horrors into which the nations have been plunged; but certain teachers and leaders of thought were also criminally responsible—Nietzsche, whose philosophy had been termed "a counter blast to the Sermon on. the Mount''; Treitschke, who taught his countrymen the false doctrine of British decadence, instilling into their minds counsels of malice and destruction; Professor Cramb, who became inoculated with the virus of these teachings, with their false glamour of the nobility of power founded on materialistic science,; General Bernhardi. and Rudolf Martin. Sir Alfred Turner also quoted from a work entitled " Great Central Europe,", .which purported to forecast the position of Germany in 1950, when, according to the author, that country would dominate the whole Continent, and the Teuton race would be the over-lords, graciously permitting

the other nations under their rule "to perform the more menial offices of life. Th's childishly frank avowal of Teutonic aspirations had been brought to ligut some years ago by Marcel Prevost. Hij citations from it were challenged by Germans, who found these candid and premature disclosures of their ambitions rather mortifying; but Marcel Provost wa a able to verify his statement by producing the book. Reviewing tho psychological aspects of tho war, Sir Altred depicted the condition of Germany as that of a nation hypnotised by false teaching and carefully inculcated ideas of its racial superiority and destiny as a world-ruler. He referred also to the strangely-verified prophecies to which the attention ot the world had been so strongly drawn of late months: expressed his disbelief m tlie idea of any successful invasion of Great Britain, an enterprise which, even if attempted, could only hasten tho downfall of Germany's ambit ; ons, and his confidence that its dreams of Emp.'re would bo irretrievably shattered. Mr. A. P. Spinnett dealt with the occult aspects of the question. The war on tho material plane was a reflection of a spiritual warfare between the powers of Good and the forces of Darkness- The enroachmente of the evi! agencies had become so menacing that the time had arrived when they could no longer be permitted and the fiat had Ix-eu issued for their utter destruction by warfare implacable and relentless. They were to be utterly exterminated. There could be but one end —the extinc* T.ion of the "Black Forces." There had been a general impression amongst- psy-chically-gifted persons that the war would collapse suddenly. That impression Mr. Sinnett shared. The end would <OlllO suddenly, but not, as he feared. M soon as the more sanguine expected. It. would end only with the defeat of the " Black Powers "on the .supersensible planes. Dr. T. B. Hys'.op made a deeply t in. terestiiig contribution to the discussion, arising out of his medical studies and long experience as a mental alienist. He referred to the fact that Germany had for ages been a centre and source of certain deadly epidemics—it had been in this respect, a veritable world-cancer. Dr. Hyslop on this question aimed at being .suggestive rather than exhaustive. but his remarks were listened to with keen interest, and the significance of the onalogics he drew were sufficient, ly clear. Very pointed, too. was his ol>seivation that, in spite of their ideals, tho Germans eultivat.d noth'ng that would go to make the real Super-man. It was never their idea that the individual man should meet the individual man in open contest. Their trust was in mechanical agencies, in cunn'ng and evasive trickery. Then a nation adapted the methods of criminal anarchy those who had studied psychopathic epidemics recognised the true significance of the fact? Th re was no cure but free excoriation of the evil, after which the o'd Germany of true thought, of lofty ideals and orderly progress would be able to take her place once more amongst, n-t;cns.