GERMAN "CULTURE."

New Zealand Herald, Volume LII, Issue 15824, 22 January 1915, Page 6

GERMAN "CULTURE."

ENSLAVED BY MILITARISM.

FRENCH UNIVERSITIES'

STATEMENT.

LOUYAIN AND RHEIMS.

The French universities recently replied to the protest issued by the German universities against the accusations made with reference to their country in connection with the war. A copy of the letter, which is addressed to the universities of neutral countries, has been received by Monsieur Julien Rigoreau, French Consul at Auckland.

" The only answer of the French universities," the document states, "will take the form of the few following questions —

" Who has brought about the war?

" Who, during the short respite left to the deliberations of Europe, have tried their utmost to find conciliatory formulas ?

" Who, on the other hand, have refused all means proposed in turn by England, Russia, France, and Italy?

"Who, at the precise moment, when the conflict seemed to subside, has let loose the war, just as if a propitious occasion had been expected and looked forward to ?

" Who has violated the neutrality of Belgium, after having given a pledge to guarantee it ?

" Who declared that ' neutrality' is but a mere word, that treaties are only ' scraps of paper,' and that, in time of war, it is every man for himself ? "Who has disregarded the international conventions by which the signatory Powers had pledged themselves not to use, in making war, any forcible means which might constitute a ' barbarie' or a, ' perfidie,' and bound themselves to respect historical buiJdiiigs, religious, scientific, or charitable institutions, unless the enemy led the way to such a destruction by using them first for a military purpose ? " In what circumstances was the University of Louvain destroyed ?

" In what circumstances was the cathedral of Rheims burnt down?

In what circumstances were incendiary bembs dropped on Notre Dame de Paris'

" Facts are a sufficient answer to theie questions. You can already consult the documents published by Diplomatic Chancelleries, the results of inquests held by neutral countries, the evidence found in the Germans' notebooks and furthermore the testimony of the ruins in Belgium and France. Against them, it is no use, as the German men of science did, to give to these evidences a flat denial based only on 'their honour' !

" It is not sufficient to say, as the German universities ara doing: 'You know our teaching ; it cannot bring up a nation of barbarians.'

"We know tho value of this teaching. But we have seen also, how, breaking away from the German traditions which brought forth such men as Leibnitz, Kant and Goethe, the German culture has become enslaved by Prussian militarism and, carried away by it, pretends to universal supremacy. There are countless proofs of this pretension. Quite recently, a professor of the Leipsic University wrote: — ' All culture in Europe is, for the future, dependent on us.' "On their part, the universities of France hold that civilisation is not dependent on cne nation alone, but is derived from all nations and that culture and moral beauty is the result of the everchanging variety and independence of the genius of ail countries. Like the allies, the French universities take upon themselves the work of defending the liberty of the world."