MATTER OF FREEDOM.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume I, Issue 272, 21 December 1914, Page 6

MATTER OF FREEDOM.

PRUSSIA AND SERFDOM. It is with words as with sunbeams—the more they are condensed the deeper they burn. —Southey. In the last days of July I was shopping at Harrod's, and the courteous young man who served me said, what I had heard a hundred times before: —'' I would as soon live under the German Emperor as under the King of England." Oue hears that ! phrase no longer, because the scales have ! fallen from many, eyes. Still, there are ! words like '' liberty '' and '' freedom'' constantly on the lips of millions of Britons, which convey nothing or little to the minds of those using .them, though we are fighting for nothing more or less, than freedom. -Freedom is the' right to do what you want to do so long as you do not hurt others in doing it. , For instance, every Englishman has a right to get drunk, or not to fight for his country, *or to come home habitually at 3 in the morning, or to be a roadrhog. But if he gets himself disliked he suffers at the hands of his neighbours. ■•■■■••■ , Prussia, on the other hand, but little more than 100 years ago was still practically in the toils of serfdom. It was only by an edict of 1807, to take effect in 1810, that personal serf dom was abolished in the Prussian monarchy. Freedom Unknown.

In Prussia, blind, unreasoning obedience to authority, whatever the quality of authority, is raised to the godhead. Liberty and freedom,-as "we understand them, are unknown in Prussia, and will ever be unknown in any country governed by Prussians.; ■' \ " '• •, - - ; "Liberty and freedom are labels for things which we British prize even niore dearly than life. Patriots and demagogues alike have found that it,was only necessary to take any "passion of ; the people at its critical height and. hick it with, some lucky wbrdV As a spark of fire; falling on gunpowder explodes it, .so the national perception that our liberties are in great danger has united the nation as it was, never united before." Party politics have died down. Religious differences, if not forgotten, slumber. Why? Freedom is in danger. ._ The typical village and town relief committee to-day consists of the vicar or rector, a Roman' Catholic, a Congregational pastor, a Wesleyan minister, and the doctor. From these committees all religious and political differences have absolutely vanished. Why? Because British liberty and. freedom are in peril. Englishmen are abla to ;da most things of their own. free, v will. They are at liberty.,not;..to.fight for their country. Nevertheless, one millibn of Territorials and new' recruits have rolled up, ancL are hard vat work learning the art and?, craft of war. Liberty, relates to. such eonstricr tion or confinement as is opposed to it. :The slave, when set at liberty; shares; the freedom" which his master < has all; along enjoyed." Gur recruits are free,to-join the" Colours or to warm, their toes over the parlour fire.

No Teutonisation. , When I was a guest on board a German battleship I was interested to find that whereat a feratish; bluejacket may only smoke at the time and- place prescribed- by ,his superiors, ,the< German bluejacket may smoke' everywhere; except when and where he is ordered not to smoke. . In this v particular instance the Germans are more British than the* 'British. Those who' like freedom understand why many Germans become British citizens, and" why no' Britons, except reifegades, become Germans. How many millions of Germans .have become Americans? How many Americans have become Germans except by marriage? The Prussian lacks the sense of freedom. • :. ; • : '- ■■•'-.-■ Look at the. freedom we enjoy. In this column I have attacked Ministers by name in a manner which would.have ensured, punishment, perhaps'death, in Prussia. What is the effect of that freedom? Wholehearted and loyal support "of *he -King's Ministers,- nd.t by lip> ser- j vice nor by slavish and subservient; approval of all Ministerial acts} They are doing their best. Take it all in all,, it is a Very good be's't. The reason they command the wholehearted support of their political opponents is because we are free to attack them.if we like.

[ Autocracy,, bureaucracy, and militar-- | ism cannot breathe the ozone of freedom. Teutonisation and Prussianisation: of the world is unthinkable. When civil war begins in Germany the struggle will take place over the same issue as the civil wars of England—for freedom and liberty; The Prussians are easily led. ' But; there is no reason to think-they are fit to lead us or the rest of the world. They do - not understand freedom, because a century ago half of them were still serfs. The young man in Harrod's would not like to be a Prussian serf. , Prussians Still . Serfs.

. The whole tone and texture of the. German mind is opposed to our English conception of freedom. In Berlin there are some two thousand- police regulations governing the; conduct of citizens. On arrival at a station.you may not the cab you want to take, but the one, the police order you" to take. If you live at an apartment/ house you must descend the stairs on the side.prei scribed by. the police. , • i J Freedom is a positive idea, which to' the British is ; a necessary of life. With! us, freedom sometimes degenerates into licence by invasion of the liberty of others.' On the Whole, freedom for all has* worked' very well,, and, has., given, to this country what is called the, British Empirej. but what is now a series of free alliances with free people across.the sea of • our own race and speaking our own language. . ' -....'_

The Prussian conception of Empire caivnever be:realised* The planet will •"never be from Pots.dani, London, Peking, Tokyo* Paris, or .Washington. ;: The great, ,(3erman, •: economist,; Friedrich List, wrote with perfect truth in his "Zallv.ereinsplattj''''Britain is a world in itself, a'world which is'superior to ..the whole >est'of" the world- in power and wealth." -Why? -Only because of British freedom and British liberty. : The broad basis of British power and wealth is freedom.' Napoleon, was successfully- fought- because. v the sturdy British, then as now r , vowed that they "Never, never .would be slaves." The love of freedom, it is true, may sometimes distort .the British mind. Charles I. lost his head. from, his, people's love of freedom. In August, 1914, the British . Empire nearly went to pieces because the people of these islands are so deeply attached to freedom that they refused to listen to Lord Roberts and to prepare fof the defence of their liberties. —Arnold White in an English exchange. ■./.-...■