Richmond Palladium (Daily), Volume 92, Number 306, 23 December 1922 — Page 3

TIIE RICHMOND PALLADIUM AND SUN-TELEGRAM, RICHMOND, IND., SATURDAY, DEC. 23, 1922.

The Mistakes of the Kaiser By RENE VIVIAN I Premier of France When the War Broke Out Copyright. 1922, by The McClure Newspaper Syndicate.

Treitschke and Haeckel Contribute to German Kultur

In his reorganization of the empire and his work toward moral unification Bismarck was supported by the efforts of the intellectuals, who helped him toward moulding the public mind. Their ideas, expressed at the universities and spread broadcast in books, were tirelessly propagated and diffused by a "reptile" press in the Chancellor's pay. And even though there were, before the violent acts of 1S66 and 1870, certain historians or savants, who despite being the necessity of Prussia's supremacy, nevertheless hesitated as to the means to be employed,

the eyes of these, too, were opened on the day after Sadowa and Sedan; they' realized that might had become right, that they must teach thi3 truth and work out the theory upon which it was based. "Right of the Stronger" Urged. War, violence, the law of force these were to find theoretical champions without number. As far back as 1868, a professor at the University of Berlin, Lasson, made public a strange pamphlet dealing with the ideal of Culture and War (Das Kulturideal und der Grieg). . His conclusion was: "Among States there is but one right, the right of the stronger Therefore, It is perfectly reasonable that there should be wars between States. Despite all treaties, the weaker becomes the prey of the stronger just as soon as the latter is willing or able to bring this about. War Is a fundamental phenomenon in the life of a State . . . Many things may be postponed, but, should the opportunity present itself, it behooves him who has the power and feels himself prepared to solve questions by the sword. This defence of war, made with such, cynicism, aroused some protest, to be sure, at the time, but the victories of 1870 silenced it. After that literary

men and professors vied with each other in justifying Bismarck's maxim: "Where It is a question of Prussia's power, I recognize no law." The most famous of the profssors, Treitschke? was the great educator of

German thought from 1875 to 1895. In his history of German during the nineteenth century, as well as In his teachings, speeches and books, one finds passionate, wild, sectarian patriotism, evincing absolutely no desire to win a reputation for impartiality. He devoted himself particularly to demonstrating the excellence of the institutions of the Hohenzollerns, of elucidating the history of Germany by means of that of Prussia. Treitschke's Doctrine. "How often (he said) have we sought to give theoretical proof to the

little German States that only Prussia could assume the leadership over Germany; the really decisive proof of this, however, had to be furnished them on

the battlefields of Bohemia and the Main.' Treitschke' justified . everything by this sentence:- "In politics one can judge only that which has succeeded." He speaks enthusiastically of the great human butcheries in history and of their significance, and warns everybody against those who preach universal peace, "the most dangerous of Utopias." "War remains the only process, and, even in times of high culture, it al

ways preserves its plastic power of

moulding States. Our epoch is an epoch of war, our age is an age of iron;

If the strong vanquish the weak it is

the unescapable law of life."

This biological conception of history, tending to subject the living organism of the State to the universal law of

the struggle for life, was developed in Germany under the influence of the great naturalist Haeckel, who introduced into that country the theories of Darwin on the evolution of species. The German university students, after 1870, developed passionate interest in the lessons of Hackel, which were the corroboration of the ideas absorbed by them on the superiority of certain

races and the justification of all the excesses of militarism. It was Haeckel who suggested replacing the motto "Liberty, Equality, Fraternity" with word3 "Determinism Inequality, Selec-

Ition." And at the very time that the

religious sentiment of the German people was weakening, this Bort of biological religion "monism" came upon the scene and strengthened imperialistic ideas. What would those nations have felt who did not live, as we did, close to this volcano in whose smoke the

lightning flashed already what would those nations, separated from that volcano by abysses dug by nature whereas ours had been dug by history, have felt had they lived by the side of such a neighbor? How could one fail to see

the spectre of war in the shadows;

how could one fail to guess that such a philosophy of force acted like poison on the adult of the German nation, fol

lowed him through life, prepared him for the worst excesses? Excesses? They exist only through the confrontation of good and evil, which presuppose; in order that they may be perceived, a conscience and at least average moral principles. Every effort of Greman thought during the nineteenth and twentieth cen

tury was bent upon isolating the German from other men politically, morally and economically, upon confining him to the divine race to which he belonged and preventing the infiltration of foreign ideas which would have gradually dissolved his deadly pride. The cynicism of tho German plans for war derives from the cynicism of the general ideas by which the German nation was governed. Hence, war was approaching with huge strides, through German schools, books, lectures and press, through thearrogant lessons of the universities, those teachers of the barracks and purveyors of the battlefield. And we, : next-door neighbors, had for half a century made the mistake of not being on the alert; of relying upon our good faith,, upon our ardent desire for peace; of believing that Germany satiated with victory, .would at last strike out upon another road in other words, ' our . mistake was to credit Germany with ideas of which any other nation would have been proud. It was In such a condition that "WI1-.

gtHNfimfitimitmitminimmnmmHtmiHntniHwiimimuiinnmnnimiiim MERRY CHRISTMAS j

to You and Yours I Automotive Battery Service Co. I BATTERY SERVICE BY THE YEAR 1 1134 Main St. I

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With 'warmest Christmas Greetings and sincere good wishes for a bright and happy New Year

O. E. Dickinson

517 Main Street

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Wishing You and Yours a Very Merry -Christmas and a Prosperous Year for 1923 DR. T. R. STOCKTON PODIATRIST Colonial Annex, South 7th St. Phone 2941 Over Duning's Furniture Store

liam found Germany and he was des

tined to show himself worthy of her. Prom the proud eminence of his throne, two years after his accession in 1891. at Potsdam e thus ad

dressed his troops: "You belong to

me, body and soul and, If I should give you the order to fire upon your fathers and your mothers, you should obey me without a murmur.". Thus Emperor William, still young, crowned with the radiant favors of fortune, reigning over a victorious, happy and rich people, looked into his heart and found nothing better than this bloody word of command. One may imagine what kind of soldiers those must be in whom their chief instilled such a grim duty, turning . their

thoughts not toward the obligations

imposed upon them by , their fatherland Dut toward the doubly , impious murder code of civil warfare. Later on the tool obeyed this guiding hand. (To "Be Continued)

May this Xmas be a merry one and the New Year be full of blessings to you and yours.

KELLY & KECK

(INSURANCE 9th & Main Sts.

Thanks for your patronage during the past year and to all we extend the Season's Greetings. Frankel & Harding 820 Main St.

A MERRY XMAS and a t HAPPY NEW YEAR is our wish to Our Many Friends and Patrons

CHENOWETH AUTO CO. 1107 Main St. Phone 1925

GREETINGS In appreciation of the business our many friends and customers have favored us with this Christmas season we extend to all a Merry Christmas and a Bright and Happy New Year.

Richmoid Typewriter Exchange 9 South 7th St. In the Colonial

Bel

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New.Year

Closed All Day Christmas

I The I Kandy Shop 919 Main St f F. M. KOONS, Prop. HSHannianiitNHmmmitttitinnnnmiiiiunnmnfiiiiiumiHiiiiMHiiHiiuuu

Christmas Greetings We extend to those who have so generously patronized us during the past season our most sincere thanks and our best wishes for a VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS and a HAPPY NEW YEAR

RICHMOND'S

LADIES READV'TO'WLAK

On the gre at est of all A nmversaries accept the Christmas Greeting of Jenkins &f Company

Together with the hope Vial for, you 1923 will bring ever, increasing Happiness, Prosperity and Success.

Your 1 ' Christmas i 1 J -11 With love mav it be all uUfe i J prfz allsht; rN 1 I jjl Each bough a glad Yj I in "'" -surplse, V I II And every twig be trim'd I I , jW with joy xWXfcSt 1 I J4 To greet your merry ; 1 W: 1! m - r " "" 1 -ap j I Quiigley's f J I I DRUGSTORE I I 727 Main St. "ffVff .4 ... '

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SERVICE) Phone 2150