The Difference Between British and German Militarism

By But there Is a German army, and why can't compelled to build ships, Germany only whom these and an Ideal like thts io the peoples Anthony Hope the German navy bring It If only the British we conceived to be a menace to us. The"' which compose the British Empire and shape I CAME acTOSB, the other day, two articles second largest and most powerful fleet in the navy doesn't get In Its way? But. though I prove that Great Britain had no designs 'Is national life and policy? Tne writer I am In tho American press which seem to mo world, and thla lleet she was steadily and differ from the writer's reasons, I have no against and no apprehensions of any the.* discussing has fallen into an error which to deserve some examination by both resolutely Increasing and strengthening with sire to differ from his conclusions, which la power. They negative the Idea that she was vitiates his whole argument. He does not, or will not, see that British and American students of the present the avowed object of making It so powerful that America had better have a biittlclent navy harboring any ambitions aft«r an "overlord- militarism is, first of ail and above a a The writer (for we I think, as¬ as to be If not of the British of her own. With all heart, let her! ship" of the sea, in contempt of the rlgl ts a**.d all, Bpirit, national temper, finding situation. may, capable, defeating iny its sume a common of the two arti¬ fleet, at least of rendering any atack from that But for the British navy, the head and front Interests of America or of any other nation, expression in a corresponding national authorship 'f and cles) presents himself as a partisan neither fleet an enterprise too hazardous to bo faced of our offending! that had been our game we should have said polity organization, finding expression,, to too, mouths of of Germany nor of Great Britain; rather lie ar¬ by Great Britain; in brief, 6he was seeking, if Why is it big? I may deal summarily with Germany: "You do as you please; were by the militant philosophers on and in the of a raigns both on the sapie charge and pro¬ not to destroy, at least to paralyze the British this question, for probably not even my op¬ going building." proclamations monarch whose nounces against both the same condemnation. fleet, and its would have Berved her ponent in this little discussion would question proudest titlo is tho lord of war. I)o these paralylBis Germatfy's Attitude reflect the and This he does as an Americau and In the in¬ purpose pretty nearly as well as its destruc¬ our right to have a sizeable fleet. It baa to things spirit temper of the free to A Constant Menace. democracies Aus¬ terests of America. Ho is entitled, then, tion. If not able actually to conquer Britain be big because. of Great Britain, Canada, a the Listen to once more: hearing both from America and from herself, she would have been able to rule her (1) The United Kingdom consists of l/lands. Hut It was not Great Britain who said '.hat tralia? the writer con¬ "If Great Britain should friends of America. The former muBt out as a factor in European politics and to and a fleet is the obvious first line of defence It was Germany. Had we been hankering aft°r emerge triumphant sider her must Bearch over and should to assert an interests, the latter render the continued existence of her empire for islands. overlordshlp we might well have used (he Germany attempt their consciences. overiordship of tho seas in contempt of Ameri¬ ,irecarious and, from a military point of view, (-) We for on German threat as an excuse for building more He his thesis and without depend subsistence Imported can interests and American this nation puts bluntly useless to her. food, and if our sea roads were blocKs-v and more ships, looking to use them against rights, reservations. Is to bs would go to war with hor "There no distinction should starve. others than Germany later on. We could have again.'' made between German militarism and British British Army On the hypothesis as he states it.and hap¬ (3) We are, as It were, a world-wide Venice. made quite a plausible case there. But we did militarism." if "Belf-iuterest and pily even he states it as no more than an self-preser¬ Smallest in Europe. The King's imperial highways are on the water. no such thing. Again and again w? offered to vation required tho nations to band hypothesis.there Is only one com¬ together What were Great Britain's forces at the If the seas are barred to us we are split Into stop if only Germany would leave us the neces¬ possible against German military aggression, the rame ment.finite right, too! But because America same moment.Just before the war? She had isolated fragments, unable to work together sary security, the necessary protection of what compellng motives will cause tho nations to or was would go to war in such a case, are wo to call .he largest and most powerful fleet in the act together, to trade with one another, to our own. line up against Great Britain If she her militaristic? Because of this are we to saj continues world. The fact is admitted. Before Raying succor one another, to exist ns an organized And if we had harbored any such v lid am¬ her to dominate all nations that there is no distinction between German attempt by secur¬ more about It, let us complete the comparison or effective whole. bition. should we have .walled and watched of seas. . . . militarism and American ing maBtery the Germany or with Germany by looking at the British army. The sea is while the German navy grew? It would militarism? tho very blood in the arteries and have it is Great Britain, It does not matter which, Here I might quote the Germans themselves; I veins of the been easy to destroy It in Its beginnings. We precisely because Germany and her ally Americans empire. Stoppage there spells did.in there Is no will not wear tho yoke of either might put the Kaiser and his generals in the death. I do not believe that the writer would made no attempt to do that. All we said to fact, hypothesis here.try power. They will do as the free nations of as witnesses to the to nsert an "overiordship" of Europe, and of box the innocuousnesg of dispute these statements or quarrel (save Germany was, to put It In a line, "Because you Europe have done and are now doing, thej British I will more moderate could on more than Europe, in contempt of the interests army. employ perhaps on the literary score) with these destroy us land we must keep our¬ will fight military domination and destroy it." language. I will be content to that of all selves and rights of free peoples, that the British say metaphors. I am thoroughly certain that the safe against you at sea.'' And With thanks to the writer for the tribute to the powers which can claim to be called many's was: Ger¬ Empiro is at war to-day. The paramount ob- Germans would heartily indorse every one of reply "Well, do it if you can!" our present cause Implied in the last sentence, "great." Great Britain had Infinitely the them. which was straight, but not conciliatory. jert of our armaments, such as they have been, let us look at this thesis of his.that there is and whether on land or has smallest army, America alone excepted, and as They do not talk quite like that now They sea, been, and no distinction to be made between British to America It Is enough for me to say, first, Blames Germany complain of the size of the British fle°t; they still is, to prevent any single nation establish¬ militarism and German militarism.and see or that I presume America knows her own busi¬ For Inflated themselves caused it. They invite neutrals to ing exercising such an overiordship or how far it with the facts of the Navy. the for a corresponds ness; secondly, that the Atlantic Is a good bit take alarm at it. Neutrals would do well to re¬ hegemony among nations, in such situation. broader than the Channel. "Yes," you may say, "but it's one to position we have seen not the thing member that there is another fleet, If not so always only of be big and quite another to be so very big greatest to our own end That little army Britain's was a fit little big, yet big enough for many purposes if outs peril security, but the A Comparison and to be growing so very The ob¬ of freedom for army: It had been reorganized and put into quickly." were smashed. Nor need my readers be re¬ the world. Decidedly Misleading. shape; it knew about fighting. But it had not jection Is on a line with what the dormouse minded that the German Such is the task In which our arms are now felt about for "overlordshlp" The first remark which suggests Itself is that been and was not being materially increased. Alice.It's one thing to grow, quite is not far to seek. engaged. It is one in which, as It seems to us. It another to grow at such a ridiculous paco, com¬ we more to put British sea militarism over against made no pretentions of being able to defeat, There is nothing liko war for making peoples may reasonably expect from Ameri¬ German to or plained the dormouse. Well, whose fault Ib cans than and in land militarism and to treat that as a paralyze, even to alarm any army of see themselves as others see them. I hope sympathy suspicion, view of that To whom must our critic address his which we more complete statement of the factors of the case continental proportions. It did not aspire to that we, as well as our enemies, will be amena¬ may reasonably ask to be com¬ is a remonstrance? for what we are decidedly misleading. The opposing force* position like that to which Germany aimed ble to this wholesome discipline. We can mended doing than to be are not nt threatened 011 the scoro to we fairly or fully Btated. Britain has an raising, and claimed she was raising, her Why Is the British navy so very big and learn front it, no doubt. All the same, this of what, up now, army as well as a fleet. has it have neither nor nor even fleet; Germany has a fleet why been growing? Simply because we charge of militarism.whether by sea or land. done, attempted, as well as an army. The German Set the main arm of Britain the have thought it for our falls been in a position to do. army plu# against vitally necessary safety, rather surprisingly on our ears. For There is the German fleet must (for the main arm of and call them not to increase our 110 need to toll us that America purposes of a Germany equal. superiority, but to main¬ years we have been listening to reproaches will nnd can, if need her and valid argument I be Britain's tain our be, defend rights ranged against the British subsidiary arm wag incomparably relative superiority against the per¬ exactly on the opposite score, not from interests. We are aware of the fact, and fleet itlua the weaker in¬ only quite British army. And, as 1 Bubmlt. than the subsidiary arm of Germany. sistent anl Implacable challenge of the our "jingoes," but from men whose words and to tell a man what he knows quite well, and moment taken for a comparison between Hightly or wrongly, or to creased. naval armaments of Germany. I call what you know quite well that he knows these two wisely unwisely, up achievements carried weight, and our present quite forces should be tho time Immedl- ihe moment which is material to this argu¬ the challenge Implacable for the reason enemies have well, is not only as a rule superfluous, but may ment plain been loud in declaring that there in certain cases to preceding the present war. Additions to the British people had refused to have that we have again and again tried to placate was no left be, say the least of it, some¬ military a great military spirit among the greedy what Therefore these on establishments and forces made since army. They could have had one: they it and turn it aside, but n*»ver with success. But now we are ungracious. articles have shopkeepers. told that "there which I have been seem ?<>War ^eKan represent not the settled and the men; they have the money. Tney re¬ We have offered to slacken our rate of is no distinction to be made between German commenting to us, and deliberate policy ot statesmen and peoples*, fused; they said again, wisely or unwisely: building if Germany would slacken hers; we militarism and British will seem, 1 believe, to many Americans, to be but the necessities and "We don't a militarism!" (still tho least of somewhat un¬ dered apprehensions engen¬ want great army; it is not neces¬ have offered to take a "naval holiday" If only What are we to say to this charge? Simply Baying it) by the actual fitruncle. However sary for our security, our interests or our am¬ facts gracious. a man pacific Germany would take one, too. These that it is based on a confusion of thought and A may (.>», yet when once he is in for a bitions." are property; stand on record. rendered more serious matter is that they propagate fight he will public they plausible by an ambiguity in the nn false and fight with both hands, and no one Wisdom be It or folly, at all events thlB Is Nobody could attempt to deny them The use of the word militarism. entirely misleading conception \v(il call him more quarrelsome than if not militarism. Military estab¬ of the temper In which the British ho writer of (he article before me must be <.vell . peoples 'Oiinlit with on'' hand lishments.national forces, whether on land are this war and the tied behind his back "Germany's army Is not a menace to the aware of them. With what face then does he or on sea.are one fighting of aims whlcn Before tho war. 1'nlted States thing. Militarism is quit1* tiieir a then, Germany had the most because it cannot come to these say. "Thus Great Britain moves forward to her another. The Germans themselves have inspire efforts, conception which, 11 powerful army in the she claimed to shores But can tbid it would seriously the I world; Britain's navy come, and It goal.the absolute mastery of the sea?" With us what they mean militarism.a spread, prejudice goo have it. and it will lie admitted that can an army with it." So the writer what by nation work for the world in which, so soon as cir¬ the generally bring says plausibility can it speak ot Great Britain's that is an army and an that is a nation. was ri>;iit. I am not denying that, the whose articles are before me. 1 doubt if ha "attempt to dominate all nations by army cumstances permit, the United States and the state of the world what it would securing That Is their understanding of the word; that British to being was, she had get the Germans to agree with him. mastery of the seas?" is the ideal. in Empire may hope join hands, even need of a powerful army, nor will I to ask The British come, the They glory it and in all that as are now hands in the succor o! what stop navy might Germans For if these offers to Germany.unhappily it implies.the supremacy of the "war lord," they joining power was most responsible for the Btato would say, but they cannot bring a British fruitless and abortive.prove anything, they the Belgium. It is doing no good service to either of the world being what it was. because there not one blesings of war, the gospel of conquest and to undermine the army, is to bring.or at prove that it was Germany only whom we so on. people confidence which In addition to this army she had the any rate worth exists between them and which has mighty bringing. feared, Germany only against whom we felt But what sane man to-day can Impute notions liko weathered the storms of a hundred years.

. - Cut - - - - . - AJong This Line, Then Fold Music for Your Piano Rest . -