LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.
OUR NEW FOE.
[To THE Emu. OF TRE "SPECTATOR."] SIR,—" Peace hath her victories no less renowned than war," and now that the war has been brought to a close these words will no doubt form the substance of the thoughts of many Englishmen at the present time. But the continuation, "New foes arise," deserves not to be forgotten; and as we are at last able to take our eyes off the recent struggle in South Africa, it would be as well perhaps were we, before congratulating ourselves too heartily on the completed security of our Empire, to reflect upon our position in Europe, and scan the horizon in search of the new foe. That there is a foe, Six, I think there can be little doubt, nor is it fax to seek. It is Germany. Knowledge of German hostility has not been wanting in England, but no one who has not visited the country, and has not only visited it, but lived in it for a con- siderable time and studied the newspapers, can have any adequate conception of the deep feeling of hatred which is entertained against us. The number of English people pos- sessing a first-hand knowledge of German newspapers is small, and thanks to the indifference which the average Englishman exhibits towards all expression of foreign opinion, less knowledge is digested than is actually possessed. The time has come when we should leave off talking cant about the blood-relationship of the two nations. Not only
does such talk blind our eyes to the real question at issue, but that nations originally sprung from the same stock should ever remain the closest of friends is historically absurd. I have been long enough in this country to perceive that though the German language is akin to ours, the German people are,
with one or two superficial resemblances, as different from ourselves as any other. Alle Englander sind Bauber, a
German said to a friend of mine lately, and he meant it. But if we have not altogether lost our ancestral inclinations towards piracy and freebooting, the German is similarly con- stituted, though his plans are deeper, less overtly, and, in my opinion, less courageously, laid. Jealousy is his motive, but it is a motive we cannot afford to ignore. Now that the Transvaal is indisputably ours—news which has come upon the German "man in the street" with startling suddenness, since he has been sustained by the Press up to the last in the belief that we were losing—I have no doubt that the public opinion here towards England will undergo an ostensible change, though inwardly the dislike will continue to grow. IT is the nature of the German to make the best of ever,) opportunity, even when by so doing be shows himself incon- sistent with his previous conduct. Germans and German Jews are probably at this moment preparing to embark for South Africa, in the hope of stepping in where others.
towards whom they have been unsparing in abuse, bavo cleared the way. We can also expect that the demeanour of the German at home to English visitors will change for the better. But otherwise the ill-feeling will endure, and English- men who pride themselves on not contaminating their in- sularity when abroad will be deceived into the belief that envious as the German might have been at first of British enterprise, he has at last returned to his common-sense. But, Sir, will this view, taken, as it will be, by thousands of Englishmen otherwise inclined to look with disfavour upon Germany's attitude to us, be justifiable? To this I would answer emphatically in the negative. We are watching the German flag oust us in commerce, we are watching the augmentation of the German Navy, and we have just wit- nessed the endeavours of Germany to form an understanding with America, and yet we cannot put two and two together. Clearly these efforts are directed against ourselves, and against no other Power. When is England going to look these facts firmly in the face ? Or are we once more after this war to sink into our customary self-complacency, and content our- selves with the slothful contemplation of titles, wealth, and athletics ? It would be perhaps too pessimistic to declare that we shall see no reform in our Army, though I should imagine that those whom such matters concern know their own impotence, and the public's indifference to the weakness of our Executive. We may laugh at what we may be pleased to consider Germany's obsolete militarism, in comparison with our own freer institutions, but we should not forget that free as our own institutions are, they have of late shown un- mistakable signs of paralysis, while Tyranny, in the strict sense of the word, has not been unknown to be Freedom's best and truest friend.—I am, Sir, &c., C. W. BRonuisn. 8 laeinblickstrasse, Wiesbaden.
[Readers of the Spectator will not need to be told that we agree with Mr. Brodribb's words of warning. Personally we do not blame the Germans or their Emperor for their deter- mination to leave nothing unattempted which may enable them to win from us that Imperial position which we so greatly value, but which they believe it wants only a little daring joined with patience to wrest from our palsied bands. We want to encourage no foolish hatred of the Germans, for hatred always ends in weakness. What we desire is that the British people should first realise the true nature of German aspirations, and then take the necessary measures to protect themselves. We are too much inclined, in our comfortable and insular good temper, to think it impossible that any other nation can seriously mean us harm. For example, we laughed at the notion that the Boers could seriously intend to try to drive us out of South Africa. If we are wise we shall not make a similar mistake in the case of Germany.—En. Spectator.]
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