ENIGMA OF THE GERMAN PEOPLE

Oamaru Mail, Volume XLIV, Issue 14705, 4 June 1920, Page 2

ENIGMA OF THE GERMAN PEOPLE

(Bv H. H. Perris.)

The deeper character of the turbulent movements that have followed the war in Germany cannot yet be clearly discerned. These events seem, however—if the classical example of the French Revolution be used for comparison—to be distinguished by two negative marks of high significance. They have been neither caused by nor are the cause of, any special and decided gospel or doctrine—although Germany is much more than Prance a land of doctrinaires, above all, of Socialist doctrinaires. And these events have not, so far, shown any ■ single, volcanic stream of popular force-directed against the evident enemy of the nation. But are. not these features —a clear doctrine and a national will, violent and single—precisely what, for good or ill, distinguish true revolution, old or new style, from mere blind insurrection ? The persistence of racial traits Is one of the grimmest facts of history. "If only they could write they would be irresistible," said Herodotus of the ancient Teutonic tribes. Sixteen hundred years later it was a familiar remark that "German will always march against German." Centuries of disunion, feudal decay, religious schism, devitalising warfare—a frightful story, with a lamentable heritage. "The German, of all civilised peoples," said Kant, "submits most easily and continuously to the Government under which he dives." Herder, Goethe, and many, another echo the confession, "Germany is the land of obedience." Being, in their vitals, obedient, the Germans remained morally, and not only politically, disunited; for these central lands of Europe are-the supreme illustration of "Divide et Impera." i - While France was in the agony or new birth, it was said: "In Germany there are 300 Courts, two religions, ! instead of one suffering nation, mampeople separated by religion, custom, | and institutions, who could never keep in step." They seemed to be nearer union when Bismarck took the first trembling spirit of nationality in hand ; at last ' they stepped together the Hohenzollefn goose-step. .-Mr 'G. P. Gooch. a liberal scholar as | erudite as humane, has just completed a profound studv of the influence of the French Revolution on Germ .-in thought and life. It is a monument of research, but makes for me, at least, a theme of only pitiful interest, save for jfche light -it throws on an outstanding ■ enigma of- social and political history.

His very method is suggestive. The influence of. the Revolution on England may ho traced in two wcll-doiinud channels, with, for instance, Hurke and Pitt as dominant iigures on one side. Fox and Godwin on the other. Mr Gooch's subject runs away into a hundred shallow rills of personal and local opinion. He traces it in the writings of Goethe, Schiller, Humbolt, Herder, the Romantics, Kant, Eichte, and Hegel (Heine and Marx are, unfortunately, heyond his scope). Then more briefly its differing influence in Prussia, the Ithineland, and the Central States, and the South is examined. The successful revolt of the American colonies and the armed doctrine of Paris stirred German feeling widely,, not deeply. The revolution was haileu with delight; but "there was neither the desire nor the capacity to imitate it." Why not the capacity? Because of German particularism, Mr Gooch re- ' plies, the strength of tradition and of religious influences, and because a, certain amount of liberty was assured by tlie rivalry of little centres of despotism. In plain English, big and little, from his aesthetic Excellency, Geheimrath von Goethe downwards, they funked it. So, as Heine put it, Germany slept 011 through his philosophic dream, while Franco spent - herself in heroic action. Then the old regime pulled itself together, and "all Europe became a St. Helena, whoso Hudson Lqwo was Metternich." Adversity did, indeed, create a. faint nationalism; and it grew, but by how composite a process—free trade, education, . Bismarckian "blood and iron,'* Marxian counter-regimentation. At- length .the day of Marx's promise seemed to dawn—in 1912 the Social Democrats polled 4,250,000 votes, more than a third of the active electorate, and became the largest party in the Reichstag. Two years later these millions marched obediently behind the Hohenzollem Court to war against the T.iberal West. Nor dees their humiliation in that awful test appear yet to I have produced a fundamental change. | When will it come? Heine imagined i that some day "a drama will be enacted in Germany in comparison with which the French Revolution will appear a harmless myth," and advised Ins French friends to stand by armed, but not to meddle. So humanity waits, wlnle Republican France and her Allies keep their watch on the Rhine.