LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.
THE GROWTH OF MAMMONISM IN BERLIN.
(To THE EDITOR OF THE "SPECTATOR."]
Sts,—Our journals will, in their retrospective articles usual at this time, express their satisfaction with the success of German policy in China and elsewhere, with the laurels won by German manufacturers at the Paris Exhibition, and with the progress made here and there. In the middle of January, again, satis- faction will be expressed with the rapid growth of Prussia, which, two hundred years ago a small country with about one and a half million inhabitants, is now one of the Great Powers. But we should think a little as well of the progress Mammonism has made in Berlin in the last ten years or so. The Sternberg trial has thrown a ghastly light upon that fact. Not one word about the filth, if only because we all know that in this respect peccatur intra muros et extra. Dreadfully heavy as the tribute of children may be that one wretch has levied, we know, and are therefore, though shocked, yet not surprised, that in all large cities there are many votaries and victims of vice. People were far more alarmed that a commissary of police had been bribed by the defendant, that a still higher func- tionary, now happily dead, had compromised himself, and that some barristers were suspected by the Court of having been abettors of crime, even of subornation of perjury in favour of the wealthy offender. What I, however, consider most significant is that the director of the criminal police of the metropolis, although he knew, as indeed everybody in Berlin knew, that Sternberg had heaped up his eighteen millions by swindling and ruining thousands of investors—although he knew, as indeed everybody in Berlin knew, and for obvious reasons better than anybody else, of the vicious and criminal perversities of Sternberg—nevertheless took loans and presents from him, and could depose that in Sternberg's house he met people of the highest rank, the best society. This, far more than even the great number of crimes instigated by Sternberg and his friends with the ill-gotten money, show how Mam- monism has taken root in Berlin society, and that even high functionaries bow before Mammon and dance round his golden calf. Another instance. Four bank directors have been imprisoned for robbing people of hundreds of millions. The mortgage bonds of two banks alone—i.e., securities which are considered by most people safer than even State securities—have lost one hundred and fifty millions ; besides, the shares of the two banks are now worth next to nothing, and securities and shares of similar banks are quoted at fur lower rates. This is not the place to give the details of the systematic frauds committed by the directors, one of whom, though he began as a poor man, has made a private fortune of twenty-eight millions, which he cautiously invested abroad. Here it is only of interest to show how it was possible that such frauds could be committed, and that they for so long a time could remain undetected, in spite of the control ordered by law. Literary men, and men of high rank, who understand nothing whatever of business, get on to the Board of Directors and are satisfied when they get the usually splendid fees for doing nothing and for letting everything be done. The surest way in Berlin now to get advancement, protection, titles, and decorations is to spend some money in building and endowing churches. The Empress has a passion for erecting churches. Courtiers and other people of a Byzantine turn of mind, or who have some other objects of their own in view, in- vite wealthy people to spend money for pious purposes. Non clef is a heathen phrase, and that the end justifies the means is said to be a Jesuitic doctrine. But both are adopted by Berlin Protestants to further Protestant ends. By the way, to no practical good. For the churches are empty, and half the people who go to church do it out of hypocrisy, or because they are afraid that not going to church will be disastrous to them.
The precept of the Old Testament not to accept the harlot's presents for sacred purposes is forgotten by our pious people of the twentieth century. And are not the gifts of a Sternberg, who had promised a lump sum of money to some charitable in- stitutions in case of his being pardoned, or those of fraudulent bank directors, who have ruined thousands of small investors, in a certain respect far worse than the presents of a harlot ? And our Dives does not even spend his gifts gratuitously, as, for instance, the American plutocrats do as a sort of conscience-money ; on the contrary, the gifts are speculative outlays. He hopes to get titles, decorations, to cover his shame, and to allure people into confidence, into trusting him with their money. One of the imprisoned directors, for instance, received a decoration a few days before he went to prison, and very nearly was made a nobleman. Thus altar and throne are made serviceable to Mammon. Unconsciously the Emperor is furthering Mammonism by his love of display, which he believes to be in the interest of the Crown. The same may be said of his encouragement of outdoor sport and, to a certain extent, of art. During the last ten years luxurious living has rapidly and dangerously increased in Berlin. The wealth of the city has indeed also increased, but not by any means in the same ratio. The Berlin of, say, 1870 stands in almost the same respect to the Berlin of to-day as Sparta to Athens. Though we do not see our ideal in the Sparta of old, the Athens of later days must needs go to the dogs, and still worse, just as it was impossible that the Empire of the Roman spend- thrifts could last. The Sternberg affair and the recent bankruptcies should warn Germans to beware of Mammonism, which for some time has been the barometer even in literature, certainly not for the benefit of literature. Emperor and Government justly encourage trade and industry and do everything to make the people richer. But wealth may be good ; Mammonism, however, is the greatest pestilence that possibly can befall a nation. America and the American plutocrats afford a deterrent example. We can only approve of the American movement for repudiating the gifts of wealthy Americans for Universities, libraries, &c. But Germans as a rule are thorough in everything, and I am afraid, if we do not keep a sharp look-out ahead, as quickly as we have become a great political Power, a first-rate com- petitor in the world's markets, we shall also become votaries and—victims of Mammonism —I am, Sir, &c., L. K.-D.
[We publish our correspondent's letter, as it corresponds generally with much we have heard from other sources as to the demoralisation—temporary, we trust and believe—caused by the sudden enrichment of Berlin. We cannot, however, take any responsibility in regard to the accuracy of the facts stated. As we have pointed out elsewhere, the growth and power of an underpaid bureaucracy is the greatest danger which Germany has to face at the present moment. —En. Spectator.]
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