A GERMAN TO HIS FELLOWCOUNTRY MEN

Taihape Daily Times, 13 March 1918, Page 7

A GERMAN TO HIS FELLOW—COUNTRY MEN

It is customary among English-speak-ing people to class all Germans in the same category, justified to a great extent by the actions of great German thinkers, scientists, and divines, who have condoned and even applauded tho awfu? barbarities committed by Kultur. But there remains, even in Germany, same brave, clear spirits who are still loyal to the great standards of truth and honour, and with sufficient courage to rebuke the madness of their own generation. Among those is Dr. Hermann Eosemeier, who in an "open letter' to his countrymen rebukes the national sin. We make some extracts from his terrible indictment, which by the way was barred from circulation in the- Central countries :

Dr. Eosemeier asks: "What is Germany fighting for?" "The deluded German people," he says, "is fighting not for its existence, and not for its proper place in the council of nations_ It is fighting for tho phantom of the foremost position In the world, of Which a whole host of unfortunately only too influential persons think they have caught a glimpse —dreamers, for-tune-huntersl, speculators, and adventurers. It is likewise fighting for the very practical object of the setting up of a relentless and unscrupulous reign of brute force in its own country. The first object has well nigh vanished. In reality the period of visions of world-domination was already oxvr when 'the battle of the Marne was fought. The hard-won liberties of the German people, in short, are in danger of having to be won all over i again after the war."

"German people," cries Dr. Rosemeier, "when will you awake from your sleep? When will your eyes be >pened a nd when will you cease to be patient as lambs? Do you still realise that it is for your deadliest enemies that you arc fighting? You are fighting for the factory magnates, who would fain crush your oragnisations, under foot. You are fighting for the lords'of the soil, who send up the prices of every morsel you put into your mouths. You are fighting for the speculators battening upon your poverty, You are fighting for an officers' corps whose ranks are sealed up, so that your sons cannot enter them. You are fighting for a Government which is the tool of -your oppressors. Yen are fighting for an Emperor who as Bismarck

foretold has brought bout the fatal tension between Germany and England, and whose thoughtless, defiant speeches have created the atmosphere of suspicion and distrust which weighed heavily on Europe long before this war. You are fighting for a Crown Prince of Bavaria who is not ashamed to utter scarcely veiled hints that defenceless prisoners should be murdered; and for a whole pack of princely families who are a useless burden upon the country's purse. You are fighting for a General Staff and an Admiralty whose cruel and barbarous" methods of warfare in flagrant violation of international law, have made your once good name abhorred by all the world to-day, and will make it abhorred by that of to-morrow. You are fighting that the rule of the Prussian Junker may be strengthened anew, and that the Prussian, corporal's stick may thrash out of the men of Southern and Western Germany what freedom and individuality they have with difficulty succeeded in preserving. In brief, you are fighting for the perpetuation of your own slavery."