THE PERIL TO GERMAN CIVILISATION

Maoriland Worker, Volume 12, Issue 303, 20 December 1922, Page 15

THE PERIL TO GERMAN CIVILISATION

By Profesoi" Eifisiein

I'; The following article appeared in i thy first issue of "The New Leader," thQ. I.ii.P. official organ, edited by Mr. H. N. Brailsfove. •■■ :• ' * ft '. a* • *■; ' ' Professor Einstein, who. .is. to modern science what Darwin was in the last century, lias been good enough.t answer, certain Questions on the pt&H&nt ; condition of Germany which the Editor submitted to him. -Readers ['will note the careful style of (an ex|act thinker, iuid will realise that the j-'ilu-Jetest word from Dr. Einstein means inor.:> .thai!, our daily exaggerations. ..'.'•• I■ •' THE QUESTIONS • - D&ar -iProfesscr. Einstein, — I beiieye I thai /at tWs terrible-crisis in tho iife ;ofthe German people a letter from I you for publication inJgfct liavo a | groat, /perhaps a decisive, influence lin hastening the -roturn of "lUiMic opin'tou t<s sanity. .1 think tiiat the questions to wh'icb. English readers would pariiculptrly like to have an. answer are chiefly these.: 1. -What ha.v been the effect on Uni-iw-siUes of the- impoverishment, sine© f-luy, Arm"slice? 2.; Is it true that the staudarcb; of lining ot.'ilie middle-class have beeii (owered? 3. Have Hlc new conditions the real income and health of the -workers? .''..■ •.■.'■■■ •'.. • A, Have tJie many poiitJcal muraenj in Germany n • connection witli the o.ii\Y poverty? : " : ' ■• : /. : j>. Is the 'Allied policy «n α-trgrara-t'on ot the internal difficulties of the Republic? --X 6. Do you share the common fear of thei consetinenccs of a sudden stabilisation of tlifr mark? 7.--May we draw from the experience of scientific workers hope for a society based on social ,sex*vice lastead of acquisitive ga'-a? I I think I may'say on behjalf of all ! who read the "New Leader" that we will, feel ourselves your debtors, if you will be sc generous as to sparo time to answer these Questions.—-Sin-cerely yours t H. N. Brai'lsford. Borlin, September 11, 7.95!:. Dear Mr. Brailsford, —You have been so kind as to address one or two questions to mo regarding cconcarie conditions in Germany. Yo-a leH mo iliat you want an objective statcraoat about a state of affairs wMcli cuistit. In tiie interests of p, return to healthy political relations., to "bo known to the public. 1 thaalc you for the confidence shov-a\ to xne by your questions, and will endeavour to.confine myself to what I can «Late with full c.cmriciiau- and ccrtatnty. I will -proceed ' straightway to the questions one by one. .! 1. The;' gialari-et? ■of scholars andf. teachers t expressed in Idind, have been induced' as a result of the situation.created by the w.ar and the Peace Treaty. At present tlioy; aioouat at best to 20 per' cent, o" ijicir former value, in many ctasos to far less. Tliis estimate ie much too higli for brain vforkers without fixed ! appointiaentfi. Undemourisbmaiit 'i? ! almosL .universal among brain work- ! ers and students, and in acMitfo7s. books liave become so dels* that Uie intcjlqctual life and tlevelopniont of! tii-o rising generation suffers serious-] ly. The very existenco of scientific anol artistic activities, espr-e'ally theatres and journals, is moro and more endangered, and some have gone under. The struggle for exist" enco among independent artist's, musicians, and writers is desperate. Sucli conditions, and especially the per-

to ask for "guarantees" of die usual kind, but to persuade the Turkish leaders to drop the abominable habit of former rulers, and, instead of keeping up enmity, to urge on peoplo of both religions that they should be good neighbours and respect eaoh other's faith, and show by their lives that their religion has some real meaning in it.

If Christians were-to prove by their behaviour the value of Christianity, the Moslems would not be slow, to alter their ways. Both have fine Qualities. The peasants of the Balkans and Turkey are splendid people, no matter ;what religion they belong to. Teach them comradeship instead or teaching , them to fear and despise each other <uid iue danger to minorities will be gone. •

; Tell them- they must learn to keep 6n good terms always. Drive home to them that they must see in every man #, bx'othe'r, whether lie be of the same faith or not. Tell them difference ot is a small matter for tixos© "whose hearts arc In the right." Then, Ike age-loaff Balkan tlifSculty will eolve itself. There is bo vmy out ot 4t but tlxlft. ... -.- ■ ■- ■ .. -■ -' - -

p'etu&r consciousness of tjbie insecurity at i he individual's material existence, Tievilably result iiji a mai'kcd lowering, of the .estimation in which the public holds-- prd-Cessional work and intellectual -achievojnents. I am flruily convinced that, .-■, ( if thai present material, conditions coiit ; iiue> or even become "svbrse i large 'sections' of the Sii-calJed middle class, which have hitherto been the princip.il source and preserver of our intellectual tier-" itage, will sink to. the level of the submerged masses. ;

2." It la' nla'n -that In hard times that work w,iil bo■ relatively, best paid which it* essential to carry on the economic 7 activities of the .'moment, but tli at work .;which is directed only to Hie continuation and development of economic activities, and even more io purely cultural purposes > ■ will, suffer' seriously under the' prevavl-'ng conditions. Almost all intellectual work falls under the latter head. A colleague assured mc on one ocoas-on ■(.hat scientific -meetings are now heldfar less often than formerly., because: those who would attend them- vxy&i avoid the 'expense of 'tram tartvs. The. great Majority of ■students are so far dependent oil thearearnings that study can only be a secondary occupation. Ah, .regards teachers;-wliat I hare already said about, brain "worlcers in general applies to -theni. .•

3. I knov/ that there are general complaints regarding tlie reduced productive power, of manual and hraln workers, but. I do not think that I am competent to -say how far lufs is the result.6£-undernourislimen.t or of fear of inability -to obtain food, and'how. far Vof purely psychological factors. There can - be no doubt that people's energy is sapped by the consciousness that under present -conditions it is impossible to provide for M?o future, partly because, of the instability o! money values, pai-iiy *eq?,use of the exceedingly heavy burdon of taxation, "which increases, perpetually.

■4lt is a fact that many.of the political murders have been committed by people who have lost the means of support as' a result of present conditions, but I should not venture to Sj-iy -whether unfavourable economic conditions ai'e alone responsible for the lamentable deterioration of political morals. The political intoleranc e of the supporters of the old regime is doubtless partly due to tradition..

5. It must l>6 .admitted that the policy of the Allies has greatly augmented the difficulties of the Republican Government; in particular it has undermined the prestige of the Government by repeated humiliations,

in the face ©f.'.tlie.vsrhole people. Moreover, everyone here knows that the finai/cial obligations laid upon tlie country cannot be fulfilled at the'r present figui\es r even with the utmost exertion. All this has bred in us the conviction that there is no hope.oJ working our way by means out of our present serfdom. This paralyses economic activit-<es and drives people to evade taxation, .and try to remove their capital from Hie epuntry. '

6. Even if wo admit that the stabilisation of the mark might involve certa"'in temporary difncult'es, it can scarcely he doubted that we must try to attain stabilisation in tamy event and. >at the earliest possible ■ moment. Without that it is impossible to reach stable economic, conditions. The participation of German stfaletsnen and experts in consultations upon international economic relations would certainly be desirable, if. not absolutely necessary.

7. It is only Uβ a Xaymjan thai I can answer your last question, and, further, with the utmost 'hesitation. I must admit with regret that I do not see-how tlie liopo of iadividual gain and tlie fear of want could ho dispensed with as motives for productive ATOrk. In mv opinion the community can mitigate e tlio 'economic struggle of the individual, but cannot do away with it. .

I trust that I have understood all your questions lightly and h;ave answered remaln j yours faithfully, A. EINSTEIN. •