Max Harden’s Pessimism.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Issue 1312, 17 June 1915, Page 3

Max Harden’s Pessimism.

PEOPLE HAVE BEEN TRICKED.

That stormy petrol of German journalism, Maxmilian Harden, editor of the Berlin “Zukunfh,” has for some weeks past been taking views of the German military operations that must be distinctly trying to his fellow-citi-zens, who profess to find nothing particularly disquieting in the present situation. Whether Harden is pessimistic, sensational, or merely candid, it is not for us to say. Friend and foe will each interpret to his own taste. In a recent issue he warns his readers, with all that vigour and brilliance which has made him the mostquoted editor in the Fatherland, that the end is yet far off. He appeals, in impassioned terms, to the authorities not to conceal unpleasant information from the people, and bids his fellow scribes, in a most pontifical tone, to write the whole truth and nothinghut the truth. To quote a few passages :

“The promise made in several quarters that we shall have sweet peace in the spring has delighted the ears of many. What people hear less gladly is what we ought to repeat frequently—We must take care that German courage is not frozen up this winter by the discovery that the German people have been hoodwinked.” After warning the German people not to set their hopes too high and bidding them remember that, so far, no decisive victory has been won, he continues:

“Unfortunately, there are those who exaggerate small successes till they appear in the eyes of the crowd to be overwhelming victories and, at the same time, they conceal the heavy losses under the colours. Cease, cease, then, to indulge any longer this detestable habit of misrepresentation. Otherwise, when the days grow longer, the result will be the tearing from the heart of the people of all national sentiment.” He then cites the despatches of General Joffre and praises him for the frank avowal of checks and reverses, and wishes the Gt rman newspapers would emulate his candour. He concludes with the following striking passage:

“Those who ran in the torch races in ancient Athens would seldom have reached the goal with torches burning if at the start the officials had stated that the track was many yards shorter than it was. We cannot allow the flame of German confidence to be thus extinguished. In the present storm our duty is to keep it up, not by striking tales of rapid victories, but by truthful reports of painful marches in dangerous zones.” The incurable pessimism or candour of the editor of “Die Zukunft” is shown in another article, in which he takes the blackest possible view of the future. He cries: “Beat us! Drive us into the sea or into the Rhine! Starve us into submission! We shall die honourably, die standing up with clean arms. We do not know whether we shall win, but we know we shall not end unworthily. We are conserving both our confidence and our nourishment for a very long struggle; yet, in a year we may be using thorns and thistles for a time, instead of bread. We are quieter than in the first torrent of the war’s enthusiasm, but not more cowardly; nor are we to be intimidated. In prayer we are ever joyful, and we shall hark to the German maxim: ‘Rely only on thyself; then wilt thou never deceive thyself.’ ”