GERMANY'S SECRET.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 12826, 27 July 1912, Page 2 (Supplement)

GERMANY'S SECRET.

WORK, WORK, WORi

Mr G. Toogood, of Wellington, who is on a ' Continental . .tour, writes that the secret ,<#' the' German's success is work, work, work, and determination. While m conversation, a German, had told him that they always felt that England was thwarting Ijhem. m every move they toQk> ,that she stood m the way, m fact, between Germany and its expansion. He also stated that tho English people had treated Germany m the past .with contempt, ,and ,that they felt that they had as good a position amongst the world powers, and were prepared 1 to ,back up their words by deed' if necessary. The Germans , have an ; expanding; population (the annual increase is 800,000), and they simply must have outlet for, this surplus.' .There caii be no doubt that Germany is a formidable competitor with England for coinriieree throughout the world, and, as is generally the case m business, the succe.ss of England has made the Germans jealous of our trade: They/ are determined to make a big bid for a share of what England already has, and, moreover, they are prepared to ■vrojrk, and to work, very hard, to attain their object! Wherever Mr Toogood went he' saw signs of their great industry arid perseverance. They work long hours, and wages are low. As he came from Austria into Dresden, he saw. at 6.30 m the morning (and wirrter at that) mills working by electric light. Where they work inside -they sometimes start at 6 a;m. and Work. till 6"p.m. all. the year round. .Or, again, /they will wo»k from 7 a.m.. till 7 p.m., with li hours for. lunch. They almost all work m. the factories 10£ hours per day) and do riot have a half day on Saturday,' but finish at 4 p^m.. . The rates of- wages are 'also much loiver than m. England. How ,ca.n England hope to compete with ' a country which works such long hours? In Germanyr again, "they have no sports for working or middle classes,' such as m England. It is wo?k ( . all • the time. The soldiers appear, to.be a very athletic class of'nieru ; The German woman of the middle'felass is a household domestic. She does not appear to have any ambition beyond looking after the home, and children; and is content to leave it to her husbarid' r to' concern himself with "the sterner, side of lifei The people "of Ger^ many, , especially Prussia, at one time lived .very .simple lives, with no .tendency for, outward, show. Some .of the old palaces, "notably those of ' Frederick the Great and : ©veil »the* later Emperors, are very plain indeed. To-day, however, and especially m Berlin, an aristocracy of refinement -has sprung . up. A few years ago 'the Germans wore evening dress for: all 'occasions— weddings, funerals,; and other daylight ceremonials.' In fact, they do so to-day to a very- great extent, and it; is still the custom for, a. young man to call m the morninig at.tjhe house "of the' lady cJf • his : chjoice in""everiiiig. di'&ss rand "present her iwith '■'» formal proposaj. -.when he .\yishes to marry her. 1 ' Nowj nqwever, \h& "Germans are rapidly, coming in^o \ine> with ,the cultured tastes ■bf l ou'rowri'cV)Uritry.' < A new 1 arAbi'tion seeriis "to r have takeji'hold'of "the people. They realise their possibilities, and are determined to. , progress' in . 'fill departipents. "I .saw -iin| I^irliii,^ fJOW* tinUes '■ ! M r ' ToogdoS, '"some "of l tKe^ fmest shops I- have eveT". seen ifi -'-my 'tr'aviels. Whereyer ; one Avent one-3aw s^gns- of the' 'prosperity p and advancement., ■of thej people. They appear to' be a nation with , a firm cbrivictioif 7 of their v 'future, n aiid^ are prepared to make all kinds of sacri-' fices . for the realisatiori of their ideal." Nothing is too much trouble for them. The Germans show a peculiar attitude, towards 'the English. ' They are cordial arid polite to all Outward 'appearances, Jcmt inwardly they are as suspicious and jealous- as. one could possibly be. ; pomjpetitiori for "business and an , ambition for more expansion is at the bottom, of it all. 'England " must earnestly . consider whether she should not adopt the meth^ ods^of^ Germany if ,she wautssto keep her position—^namely, more .yrork, .preferen-, ;tial trade, 'Hrid compulsory, service for military training., ■ - • ■