Jasper County Democrat, Volume 21, Number 24, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 22 June 1918 — “GERMAN EFFICIENCY” [ARTICLE]

“GERMAN EFFICIENCY”

Occasionally we still hear reference to the much vaunted “German efficiency.” These references come mostly from either positive proGerman sympathizers or from timorous souls who throw a fit when* ever “this dreadful war” is mentioned. People of intelligence have long ago learned to estimate this efficiency at its true value, and have ceased to stand in awe of it. The efficiency of Germany is purely an efficiency of constant application. Her present militant condition is the result of a lifetime of unremitting .attention to .every conceivable angle of the game of war. While the other nations of the earth were quietly pursuing the paths of peace, Germany was straining every nerve and devoting all her accumulations of (men and means to the task of creating an army and armament before which i the world would find it impossible j to stand. During most of this time she was hypocritically participating in the Hague conferences and proposing the total disarmament of all nations, but in the light of recent developments we' know that during all this discussion her war preparations were never slackened. Even Germany’s efficiency in the arts and sciences has been made to serve the dread Moloch of War. Tn extending her influence among the nations of the earth in these branches, she has been for years building ‘spheres of influence’’- —in other words, nests of spies and potential traitors against the day when their services should be needed by the fatherland.

Yes, Germany has efficiency— Efficiency in cold-blooded assassination, evidenced by the brutal destruction of vessels by her sea vipers, when even women and children attempting to escape in open boats have been shelled, mangled and sunk: evidenced by her wanton destruction of civilian life by her airplanes and Zeppelins; evidenced by the deliberate murder of prisoners of war who, by all the laws of nations, should have received honorable and humane treatment. Efficiency in perfidy, as witnessed in her rape of Belgium, for no other reason than that she stood between a brutal tyrant and his intehded victim; evidenced by her attempt to array other nations against our own country, at the same time her representative to our capital was shedding crocodile- tears over his forced departure and separation from his “dear friends in America"—doubtless he took with him for the perusal- of his butcher master full proofs of his treachery while enjoying our hospitality and esteem. The Germany of other days was noted for efficiency, but that efficiency has been prostituted to most ignoble ends. God save us from such efficiency.

Is the conclusion one is inclined to form after hearing them dilate for a few hours on the subject of what should and should not be done in the clrdu instances. Their stock ot knowledge on subjects military is something at which to marvel, and we fleel like impeaching the whole bunch at Washington for failing to make use. of their valuable services. But it was ever thus. The wrong man is usually chosen and we have to push through a crisis in any old shape, when if real genius were recognized we could sail through with colors flying.