VOICE OF THE HUN.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Issue 1319, 5 August 1915, Page 2

VOICE OF THE HUN.

FROM GERMAN NEWSPAPERS.—THE WORLD’S GRATITUDE.—“HIGHCHESTED WITH KNIGHTLY ARMY.”

The following selections from some German newspapers of recent date and of representative character may serve as a reflection of national feeling after ten months of war: — This war is essentially an elemental war; that is, it is a struggle between the purest idealism on the one hand, and a bald utilitarianism on the other.

world. But, if we may be allowed indulgence in a childish pastime, we might explain that Joffre is French and French is English, and that-there-fore both belong to nations notably the freer with their promises when they know beforehand that they are powerless to fulfil them. To promise costs nothing, yet it keeps many in a fool’s paradise. —“Hamburger Fremdenblatt.”

The English have always been utilitarians, and live to-day but for three desires —namely, wealth, position and then wealth once more. Passions deeper than these do not move him, unless it is under quite exceptional vicissitudes. The specific English philosophy is a utilitarianism the principles of which may be interpreted as meaning that everyone should do that which is useful to him.

It appears to us that nothing short of the imprisonment of the guilty parties will put a stop to the disgracefully unpatriotic attitude of so many of our tradesmen in employing foreign designations for their goods when the German language is rich enough to furnish us with all we need in the way of expressive advertising.

This spirit has supplied the motive power for this fearful war, because utilitarianism and idealism must always be at enmity; they can no more be expected to agree than fire and water.

Our eyes are still offended by seeing the words “latest novelty,” “the height of fashion,” etc., flaunted before us from the show windows of leading firms, and this at a time when we are at war with England! — “Die Wahrheit.”

The German spirit, the spirit of idealism, will carry us to victory over Englishmen, Frenchmen, and Russians, over Asiatics and Africans and savages of every hue, as it would over the envious hordes with which other nations would fain overwhelm us had they the courage to let loose the avalanche. —“Zeitgeist.”

Copybook text for our schools: When will England master the Dardanelles? When the Sphinx of the desert begins to talk and the pyramids of Egypt dance on their apex. Then shall England gain the Dardanelles and Constantinople.—“ Die Welt.”

Spring is here, and the great doings which Joffre and French promised their dupes at its advent have as vet not astonished an admiring

Neither Egypt nor India, neither G'braltar nor Capetown, is the aim for which Germany is fighting. We

have other and wider claims than these, which will be presented in due time to the vanquished belligerents, and that bill must be promptly met. —“Hamburger Nachrichten.”

personnel. But even in the event of a destruction of the German high seas fleet it is not very probable that much would remain of the English ships. Here we have the keynote to Jellicoe’s policy of discreet retirement. —“Hamburger Nachrichten.”

The chief defect of English science is the national one of an exaggerated devotion to personal liberty. It is this failure that renders it difficult for an Englishman to consider himself as merely a unit in the common machine of the State. Hence it is that, notwithstanding their personal bravery, the English troops are bound to succumb before German organisation. —“Hamburger Fremdenblatt.”

The lies with which the wretched Asquith Cabinet overwhelm our country constitute only one of the means for exciting the English masses against Germany, for those masses are growing more and more indifferent to the struggle. The Government of English adventurers are learning more and more clearly that the frauds which they have committed in order to ignite the world conflagration are about to be exposed to the light of day, and that will be the end of tlrs Government of gamblers, who have now played their last throw of the dice.

The Englishman applies everything to his own personal needs. Every Englishman is an island to himself, and taken in the mass his people is the most churli.ih on earth, the most churlish of all present-day Englishmen being Churchill, the mountebank. —“Leipziger Neueste Nachrichten.”

Were it not that the simile is hardly applicable, one might say that Churchill’s “rats” had actually gone to draw the “bulldog” from his very kennel.

The simile, however, is not an apnosite one, because the German ships have at all times freely moved about in the wide, open North Sea, which certainly has nothing in common with a rat-trap, whereas it is the Engl’sh naval power, hiding itself in the Irish Sea behind three sea narrows, that really finds itself in a sort of rat-hole. The question as to whether we shall hear of the decisive battle wlrch is so longed for bv depends on the will of the English fleet leaders, but the English evidently cherish no very great inclination for a decisive battle. The fight off the Dogger Bank has shown that the German battleships are considerably superior to those of the English, both in material and in

Asquith may prattle as much as he likes, but instead of succeeding in incriminating others it will be he who, after the war, will be dragged bv the neck before the tribunal of his people to justify his despicable and traitorous conduct.-—“ Frankfurter Zeitung.”

To the German a new, a better, a wider life is assured after the war, when, the calumnies of the enemy once dissipated into the atmosphere, he can walk through the world h’ghchested in the proud thought that mankind will owe its freedom to the prowess of his knightly arm. —“Vossische Zeitung.”

We must not allow ourselves to be deceived by the negative warfare now being conducted by England, nor permit it to lead us to any false premises.

Nothing could well be more dangerous than the belief that because the British fleet; remains temporarily inactive the naval aide of the war has been deprived of its perils.

The German submarines, everyone will admit, have done magnificent work, but that work is not completed by any means. This is a truth which it would be highly dangerous to lose s ; ght of. England is hatching something of exceeding great importance; of that we may be certain. Therefore until we get some insight into the enemy’s plans the stupid crowing about the “cowardice’’ of the English fleet should be summarily stopped by those in authority. Were we in possession of a dozen more big battleships, then .... ah! . . . . then . . . .; as it is, however, we must be patient and take our cue from the enemy.—“Deutsche Tageszeitung.”

The English are indeed a gullible people. Quite oblivious of the fact that, despite the most stupendous exertions with an army comprising the best elements of the European, Asiatic and African contingents, French has been unable to drive the Germans from their positions, they allow themselves to be persuaded by Ministers and political wire-pullers that a few more thousands, or even a million, of raw factory hands or weak-kneed counting-house assistants can break -the magnificent military organisation of the greatest warrior nation since Roman times. —“Lokalanzeiger.”

s A defeat ol Great Britain would really be hailed as a relief by Aus-

tralians and Canadians, because in that event they would no longer hold themselves bound by any sentimental considerations to continue that allegiance to the. Empire which, shadowy though it may be, they find irksome because of the slur of subjection that it carries with it. —“Vossische Zeitung.”

To attempt to reply categorically to all the allegations which Asquith was pleased to utter in the English Parliament as to the bad treatment of Englishmen in German prisons would be a fruitless waste of time.

We may say, however, that the English, taken man for man, distinguish themselves from all other piisoners by their impertinence, their indolence, their filthy habits, and their provoking conduct.

Whoever has witnessed 16 grinning English prisoners hanging on with all their might to a handcart with a load of coals which one man could easily have pulled; whoever has seen 24 able-bodied Englishmen dragging themselves at a snail’s pace under an insignificant load of I oards which three men would have found a light burden; whoever has observed the whole system of passive resistance with which they receive every order that is given them will certainly not wonder that our love of the Eng'ish has not been increased by their conduct in prison.— “Neue ite Nachrichtung.”