THE SAME OLD HUN

Free Lance, Volume XVII, Issue 915, 25 January 1918, Page 6

THE SAME OLD HUN

Bismarck the Brutal

A LOT of nonsense lias been talked ■ and written about the kindly old German, character, and of the alleged brutalising of the modern German spirit by Prussian militarism. But the truth is that Fritz was always more or less of "a blonde beast" to quote Nietzsche's expression. Proof of this may be found in Busch's famous book on, Bismarck. To-day the German press endeavours to paint England as the wilful murderer of German children, but how did the Germans act during the siege of Paris in the winter of 1870-1871? * . # * * When the poor people of Paris were living on cats and dogs and even rats, and their children dying like flies for. want of milk, Bismarck and "Pious William," and the Prussian staff were guzzling at Versailles. As to the barbarity which even forty-seven years ago dominated the German mind, Busch tells how, at a dinner partv at "The Chief's," Prince Albrecht comes in and takes his seat on Bismarck's right. "May I ask," said the Prince, "how the Countess is?" "Oh. she is quite well now that our son is better. She still suffers from her ferocious hatred of the French, all of whom she would wish to see shot and stabbed to death, down to the little babies —who, after all, cannot help having such abominable parents." "The Countess" is, of course, Bismarck's wife, afterwards Princess. Later on, Busch records how, when Jules Favre was sent to bargain with the invaders, and the question was. how long can Paris hold out, the chief remarked: "If the Parisians first received a supply of provisions, and were then again put on half-rations, and once move obliged to starve, that ought to work. It is like flogging. When it is administered continuously, it is not felt so much. But when it is suspended for a time. and then another dose inflicted it hurts. I know that from the Criminal Court where I was employed." * * * * Bismarck was always a brute —even in his so-called jokes. Here is a final quotation from Busch, which shows the particular kind of joke the Hun—old and new —considers Iramourous : ''Today Hers Hans Von Rochow and Count Sehndorr dined with us. The Chief talked about his interview with Jules Faire. He told me," said the Chief, "that on Sundays the boulevards are still full of fashionably dressed women with pretty children." I remarked to him : ''I am surprised at that: I wonder you have not yet eaten them." No wonder, when they have forbears like Bismarck and his" Countess, that the Huns of to-day should be merely veneered savages. Blood will tell. Let us hear no more of the "kindly old German." The Hun was always a combination of pig and tiger.