TRUE GERMANISM.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVII, Issue 17702, 31 January 1918, Page 6

TRUE GERMANISM.

A REVELATION.

(By “ A.A.M.”) We have long known that the Germans, alarmed by the mortality amongst their manhood, were considering seriously whether the normal birthrate would provide for their needs, hut wo have sometimes been doubtful whether the arguments for a Statelegalised polygamy, echoes of which have reached other countries, have been truly reported or merely humorously invented by their enemies. But now we have the genuine tiling a grave pamphlet by Herr Carl Hermann Torges, published by Oskar Muller, of Cologne, and solemnly entitled “ The Secondary Marriage as Only_ Means for the Rapid Creation of a New and Powerful Armv and the Purification of Morality.” It is a title well worthy of its theme, and the theme is well worth examining, being a very pretty revelation of the German mind. The pamphlet, its author tells us, is based upon the future needs of the German Army, the military strength of a people depending upon the number of men able to hear arms. To get more men you must have more children ; to get more children you must have more marriages; " bachelordom is a cancer which must be extirpated.” But, oven so, there -are difficulties. Many married men cannot afford to have"children; and even if all men were married there would still be women left over. This is where Herr Torges supplies the remedy. His scheme is as follows:—

11 Women in all classes of society who have readied a certain age are, in the interests of the Fatherland, to be called upon to enter into a secondary marriage, which is supported by personal inclination. Only a married man may be the object of this inclination, and he must have the consent of his married wife.” One would be interested to hear Frau Torges’s opinion of this. Good docile creatures we know the German women to be, looking obediently to their lords and masters; but it is surely going far to ask even them to give their consent to their husbands’ • ‘ secondary marriage ’ ’ —‘ ‘ purely in the interests of the Fatherland, my dear”—with a woman, w r ho his a ‘‘personal inclination” towards him. However, “ the secondary marriage can be dissolved as. soon as its object has been obtained” —presumably as soon as a boy is born, girls being no use for the “Rapid Creation of a New and Powerful Army.” If a girl is bom, the secondary marriage, one must suppose, continues —an anxious question, “ Boy or girl?” for the real wife. The mother then “wears a narrow -wedding ring, as a sign of her patriotism.”

And what of the baby? Ah, here we have Germany at her truest. “The offspring boar the name of their mother, and are handed over to the care of the State.” What for? Herr Torges has already told us. To ho fattened for the guns. The only reason they are born is “for the Rapid Creation of a New' and Powerful Army ” ; from babyhood they are destined for cannon-fodder. The State will provide for them—until she and they are ready—ready for the next war. “ They are to bo regarded,” says Herr Torges, “as fully equal members of society in every respect.” Ah, but will they—with the Iron Cross stamped deep upon their brows at birth? All this, you will say, is organised polygamy, contrary to all Christian ethics. How little you know Germany ! There was once a young painter whose pictures were being viewed by a famous critic. He was asked if lie w r ere not apprehensive as to the verdict. “Apprehensive?” he said superbly. “It is he w'lio should he apprehensive; for it is he, not I, wrho am on trial to-day.” So with Germany. _ If Gennan teaching seems to clash with Christian teaching it is Christian teaching which is wrong. Listen to Herr Torges, than whom a more completely representative German never wrote:— “ The conception of immorality is relative. Good morals are only what the upper classes of society approve. The facts give Germany the justification in case of . necessity to put the stamp of morality upon W'hat today seems immoral.” “In case of necessity,” the good old German plea again, that necessity knows no law. “ Germany ” has the right to “put the stamp of morality” upon whatever may be necessary for her success —Germany over all, including God. Is it any wonder that the Allies refuse a peace by negotiation founded optimistically on a hope that Germany will ho different next time? Already she is thinking about the next war. If her preparations for a “new anti pow-erful army” seem contrary to “what to-day seems immoral,” she can put the stamp of morality upon it. And if, twenty years hence, when the new- army with this German stamp upon its brow' is ready, Germany demands another w'ar, she can put the stamp of morality equally well upon that. The world cannot be safe far. democracy, it cannot he safe for Christianity., it cannot bo safe for common decency, until Germany is taught that necessity, even German necessity, is subject to the law.