TEUTONIC RELATIONS

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 107, 13 January 1912, Page 2 (Supplement)

TEUTONIC RELATIONS

THE GERMAN VIEWPOINT. The English are racially Teutons, as the Germans are, maugre the popular idea to the contrary. Both nations possess much in common over and far beyond their Royal relationships, and yet they do not "hit it off," as we should say in the vernacular. Why? It is hard to understand. Anyway, whatever light can be thrown upon the position is generally acceptable to the thinking English and apparently to the thinking Germans, which, no doubt, explains the frequent interchange of visits of mayors and burgomeister, arbeiter, and workmen that have recently taken place, all with a clear desire of knowing one another better. Dr. Schone, a member of the Prussian Government and an officer in the German Army, when approached by the Evening Post, cheerfully agreed to an interview on AngloGerman relations, for, as he explained, he thought so much was to be lost by estrangement of these two great peoples, because there was, he feared, much suspicion against Germany lingering in the English mind, and because the difference in language so clouded the English, or rather British, vision of Germany, and the Germans.

The recent stringency arising out of the Moroccan question waj brought to Dr. Schone's attention. "Yes," he explained, "there is no doubt but that this recurring friction between Great Britain and Germany, which only quite recently seemed likely to lead to a most serious conflict, is deplored as sincerely by all the common-sense people of both Britain and Germany. I think the main reasons underlying the mutual suspicion are, on the one side, Germany's extraordinary development during the past forty years, making her one of, if not the greatest, rival in trade and industry with which Britain has to compete, and also to the building up of a navy in proportion to this growth with the multifarious interests which must necessarily be guaranteed or protected. Take the great German mercantile marine alone as an example. On the other hand, there is to ! be considered the widespread belief in Germany—whether justified or not we can leave for the moment —that England would do all in her power to provent any German expansion in the world whatsoever, taken together with the recent British entente cordiale with France, that is apt to make any native German regard England as the enemy of Germany, to say nothing of the very human tendency to regard the friends of my friends as my friends, and the enemies of my friends as my enemies, in connection with England's understanding with France the so-called 'hereditary foe' of Germany. Do you take me ?" Do you think, Doctor, that this mutual suspicion could be removed?"

"I am convinced that it can," came the ready answer. "I believe that not only fair but truly friendly relations could be established between the two nations; but only by the honest, earnest, sincere efforts of both of them to try to understand better the needs and aims of each, to value them according to their worth, to form a personal opinion, altogether independent of the calumnies perpetrated by the unscrupulous press of both countries. To me it is plain that it is the duty of every individual Englishman, and colonial as well, and of every German, too, to endeavor to become as intimately acquainted with the national conditions of each. And I cannot help saying that this duty is much more neglected on tke part of the English than on that of the Germans."

"Why," the Doctor went on, "take the average Englishman: He has only a very vague idea of Germany and things German, whereas there are very few educated Germans who do not possess a fair knowledge of English history, art, science and literature, who do not known what Magna Charta, the Bill of Rights, and such things meant for England; who do not admire English painters, from Gainsborough, Reynolds and Turner to Burne-Jones, Watts and Whistler—'but Whistler was an American, was he ? Ah, well, he was English enough for us to admire Mm. The educated German is fully aware of the significance of such English savants as Darwin, Huxley and Tyndall. Moreover, they know Shakespeare by heart, and enjoy Byron, Dickens, Thackeray, Browning, Burns, and the modern men, like Oscar Wilde and Bernard Shaw, quite as much as the gems of their own literature. The Germans are only too ready to acknowledge the great importance of England as one of the strongest factors in the history of culture. But, alas! the average—and ' I emphasise the adjective—Englishman's [ knowledge of German is but modest—limj ited. If he would take the trouble to study our German conditions (and a not [ uninterested studium it would prove), then he would, no doubt, individually and I in the mass, arrive at a juster and more [ favorable criticism of them than he seems to do at present. He would recognise the almost unprecedented development of Prussia-Germany out of most unfavorable, most unpromising beginnings into ! the great and powerful Empire to which I am proud to belong; and he would arrive, too, at a fuller appreciation of the work done for him, in common with the world at large, by such Germans as Virchow, ITelmlioltz, Koch, Fischer, and many others who have worked for the world. Remember again, too, that Germany 'has almost doubled her popula-

tion since the Empire was begun at Versailles in 1871, and that it is approximately ten millions more than the white subjects of George V. This is a startling fact, but there the figures are. Germany, then, is surely no longer a quantite negligable." ATTITUDE TOWARDS ENGLAND. The expression of patriotism in Germany was touched upon in its relation to the bitter feeling against England. Dr. Schone said it did not assume a Chauvinistic form to any extent except in times of popular excitement. "I am quite sure that we Germans are intensely patriotic, but we do not usually manifest it in the way I have seen the British people do their patriotism." Then the possibilities of conflict between England and Germany were euatween England and Germany were cura time," said Dr. Schone, "let us say twenty years (I do not know), when it will be necessary for Germany to look around the world for an outlet for her surplus population; but as I can see England's present policy justifies the conclusion that she would try to prevent such expansion as regards terirtory, even though her interests were not directly involved. I do not know whether England is right in thinking so. It may seem reasonable, of course; but it may j also be that the risk of her interfering i in this might be modified while a; strong Germany navy exists, which would pre- j vent her, if need be, taking hostile I action against such German expansion | as I have indicated. The possession of a | strong navy would enable Germany to a/r-1 rive at results of essential importance to ,her existence, and at the same time render conflict avoidable. lam wholly persuaded that Germany and England, i however, can go on side by side in fulfilment of their common ambitions and their destinies without encroachment by either—when it is realised as regards ob-1 structing lawful natural German expan-' sion, by no means necessarily at Eng- 1 land's expense, that 'the game won't pay.' If we had no navy at all England could, if she would, prevent us expanding—as we may—and that is the only possible exception that can be taken to Germany building and maintaining a strong navy, the purpose of which, I honestly believe, is pacific, not aggressilve. I think it is most absurd for anyone to talk of Germany taking a British colony. Why, man, is it not apparent that it would be the height of folly to create centres of irreconcilables, as the people, if conquered, would, of course, become? The idea seems to me to be ridiculous. Don't you think so?"