THE MIND OF THE GERMAN.
[TO THE EDITOR OP TILE " SPECTATOR."]
think the enclosed extracts from a letter written by an American friend are likely to interest your readers.—I am,
" The Book of France I have looked into with much interest and entirely concur with the article on the mentality of the Germans. There has been no more surprising development in the whole war than the complete change it has worked in my appreciation of essential German characteristics. I used to think them thoroughly
honest, but rather dreamy. Arnold Guyot, who was Professor at Harvard when I was a young man, used to say that the German
had the eye to see, but not the hand to grasp, the truth. That was a generally accepted view at that time. Then the war of 1870 seemed to have developed an effective character, quite novel and inconsistent with the old theory ; but, nevertheless, we thought them honest and right-minded. But this awful war has destroyed our faith in their being either honest in purpose or lofty in character. I have seen in this neighbourhood an extraordinary revelation of want of good faith, and intellectual honesty, and loyalty of purpose, which amazes me, but which fits exactly with the many instances of the same thing which you have seen so plainly abroad. It really seems as if Germans lack moral sense and spiritual perception. It does literally seem as if they had reverted from Christianity into paganism. It is interesting to see that the writer of that article on the mentality of the Germans is a profound analyst." After a reference to The Pentecost of Calamity, the writer con- tinues : "Mr. Wister is, in my judgment, a man of finer grain in spirit and imagination than most of our writers. Underneath the surface of expression by Government and individual writers, I find a strong sense growing that something ought to be done toward having my country show the Allies somehow that we intellectually appreciate the tremendous moral issues which the Allies stand for. Papers are circulating for signature by our really most thoughtful and effective men which put into words this feeling. My old College chum said to me the other day : ' This is no ordinary war like those we read of in history. It is rather a last judgment, and the exhibition of the beating down of the old serpent and the destruction of Babylon.' It seems like acting out Milton's Paradise Lost. I am glad that the mass of intelligent people here are waking up to the active desire to put this perception of the nature of the contest into words which can't be misunderstood, and which will show that we, as well as you, perceive the struggle to be between intrinsic good and evil. The other day an unexploded bomb was found in our Boston State House, the fuse, fortunately, having failed to ignite. The systematic organization of crime by German agencies in many places in this country, in order to destroy factories working for the Allies, is only beginning to be exposed, but the facts already disclosed are almost incredible. . . .
In our Civil War, where the unpreparedness of the North caused
two years of successive reverses and defeats, it is very significant that the tide did not turn until we had established conscription. The, victories of Gettysburg and Vicksburg were not gained until the draft in Boston and New York was in full operation. When I came back from Gettysburg the draft riots in New York were being put, down by force. I had much difficulty in returning from Gettysburg with a wounded young officer, who was helpless, because the draft riots were only then checked. From the time, however, that the draft was enforced, our victories began to be all on the side of the North."
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