ENGLISH AND GERMAN IDEALS.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue LXVIII, 16 October 1914, Page 7

ENGLISH AND GERMAN IDEALS.

: In an address given by him in Christ--,:ichurch on "English and German Ideals «j*C6mpared," Mr J. Caughley said it hot be denied that Germany was <>ne of the most highly developed nations -m the world; but^there was one element '''■-..;.-''in; her a national outlook Avhich spoilt , .all her many good qualities, and" that _ was the subservience of everything to *brute force. Ever since the German na- ; iioh had'been established by force of under Frederick. tne Great, force ahad been the guiding principle. The :. -Germans scorned any government which ..•■■;..'a.Ti"as : \npt ; founded on compulsion; they teixereised in -rould. not.'under-.and any rule like■■ tliat". veiercised by ''England over India. The ; German manr.er of exercising . force, a -"also, was quite alien to the English method. The German idea was to risk -•everything on one crushing blow. -They -aimed "at concentrating all their ener;igies on one desperate effort. The prel--•sent war was an example of this tendtheir military tactics there seemed no idea of a gradual and con-a-stant development! Further, German ~ of warfare allowed little room V.'l-brrmoral valor or individual v»rk; ■ *each.individual was regarded merely as '/ -part, of a great mass movement, and a-as a mere pawn in the game. Th& imrportance attached to bruite force showed a'^itself in their religion, which was a religion a-c'f valor, and had little of the spirit: of. gentleness and humility so "■■niiich emphasised by Christianity. *.