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THE FATHERLAND 7
pro-British propaganda credits Germany with the ambition of,
ruling the world. The 67,000,000 Germans are to be the masters
, of 39,000,000 French, 67,000,000 Japs, 46,000,000 British and her
390,000,000 colonial and imperial subjects, l66,000,0()0 Russians,
100,000,000 Americans and any other odd hundreds of millions
around loose on the face of the earth. Merely to state such a
proposition is to show its absurdity. Germany should at least
be credited with some degree of sanity. The limits of her im-
perial ambition, if her ambition be so termed, is most httingly
expressed in the phrase of the Imperial Chancellor, Hon. Beth-
mann-Hollweg, “a place in the sun.” Only the most violent of
Germany's foes would credit her with the impossible ambition
of desiring to seize all the places in the sun.
The extent of Germany's ambitions is, and properly is, an out-
let for her products, a secure source of food and raw materials
and the indisputable acknowledgment of her position as a world
power. That is to say, sure breathing room, nothing more. The
justice of these ambitions cannot be denied by any impartial
observer.
No American but regards his country as an uncouquerable
world power, and perhaps no American but regards Germany in
the same light, yet Germany has not as yet indisputably demon-
strated it. To recur to the illustration already noted, if all
Americans were crowded into Texas with not only Japan, but a
Japan more than twice as populous alongside and imbued with
the ambition of dismembering her and of seizing large slices of
an already restricted territory, the passionate necessity of demon-
strating to herself, to her face and to the world her unconquer-
able position would be manifest.
That is Germany's position to-day, with not only a Russia
alongside, but with two not less formidable antagonists on the
other side, and with Japan ingthe far east. '
In such a situation the accusation of imperialism is utterly
grotesque and the holding up of Germany as a bug-21-‘J00 by
England to prejudice America are seen to be ridiculous.
It must be obvious, therefore, that America cannot justly en-
tertain any prejudice against Germany and that instead of re-
garding her with distrust and suspicion, most valuable lessons
are to be learned from Germany which will enable America to
profit vastly in a material sense by the utilization of her great
natural resources, in the manner which Germany has found so
profitable with her meagre field while enabling America to pre-
pare herself against the day of aggression which her relatively
unprotected aiilnence invites.
This brief outline of the political position of Germany shows
the mighty external and internal material incentives which have
acted upon her. In the long preceding generations, Germany
was divided and powerless. VVithout the unifying force of a.
national entity, her expression was largely confined to the occa-
sional efforts of sporadic genius, as is the case with all small
countries. With unity came national aspirations, and national
accomplishment until to-day Germany, the youngest of the great
nations, has aroused such jealousy as to become the victim of
the most extensive military coalition ever formed.
Under the impetus of unity and with the incentives and neces-
sities to which she has been subjected, Germany has accomplished
remarkable things.
It cannot, therefore, fail to be of the greatest interest and
value to Americans to give their attention to the expedients and
secrets of German progress to see how Germany has met certain
pi-oblems which, as will be pointed out subsequently, will sooner
or later confront America and be prepared to adopt such of her
expedients as will be most useful here, for the technique of
science, of politics and of economies which has brought Germany
to the front in forty, years, must certainly contain suggestions of
value to America as her own destiny leads into more constricted
ways, while a knowledge of German conditions, and methods will
allay the baseless prejudice which has arisen and will increase
the friendship of the two countries, a consummation of un-
doubted and inestimable mutual benefit.
(In the heart article of this scrim Mr. Koestrr will di.rcu.r.r the
Duty of the Slate to the Citism as interpreted by the German
Empire.)
CORNELL STUDENTS FOUND GERMAN CLUB
ll] foreign lands, the ease with which they give up their
native speech, manners and customs has become proverbial
”“'0“&liout the world. Any student of history must be Struck
by the seeming destiny of the Teutonic race, to serve as the
“Kulturduenger” of rival nations. The Germans have made their
blood contribution to all the peoples of modern Europe,-the
Franks in France, the Goths in Spain, the Lombards in Italy, the
Teutonic Knights in Russia. But never in all history have Ger-
'“3“5 given themselves over in larger numbers, body and soul, to
‘he rearing of a new nation, as in the case of the United States.
In spite of their sacrifices, tilCcGClTl'13.nS in this country have not
received the well-earned recognition to which they are so justly
entitled,
The newly awakened national consciousness of the Germans
in the United States is one of the most significant results of the
Dresent war. These columns have often born witness to the
various ways in which this new spirit has found expression. The
latest sign of this hitherto dormant national consciousness is the
founding of The German Club at Cornell University. Sprung
Into existence as a spontaneous protest on the part of the German
and Austrian students at that university, against the current mis-
Twresentations of their cause, it has taken firm root amongthe
TIIE ease with which Germans adapt themselves to conditions
German-Americans to whom their ancestry has only too often
been more a matter of embarrassment than of pride. This Club
has now become the nucleus of an intense German spirit, whose
iniiuence is making itself felt throughout the university‘com-
munity. Such a movement must find ready acceptance at other
universities, where it should serve as a firm foothold and a vital
source of inspiration to the valiant supporters of the righteous
German cause in America.
The Club’s activities are varied. War literature is being dis-
tributed, but.not without due discrimination ;-in the clubrooms
able discussions are being conducted with prominent members
of the faculty as speakers, and finally, misapprehensions in the
local press have been corrected. The work of the Club would
be greatly enhanced through the formation ofsimilar clubs at
other universities. The Cornell club is only too anxious to lend
all assistance in its power. On the other hand, aid of any kind
would greatly facilitate the work of The German Club and would
help to broaden its influence and increase its usefulness.
The German Club at Cornell University is located at 105 High-
land Place, Ithaca, New York. Its president is Mr. H. W. Itt-
mann, 115 Ridgewood Road, and its secretary is Mr. Hermann
Roth.