Berrien Springs High School - Canoe Yearbook (Berrien Springs, MI)

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change her spirit toward other people if she wishes to be equal to France, England or America. The spirit of militarism must be stamped out. The political organization must take a new turn with the individuals ruling themselves. When nationalism triumphs over imperialism, when Pan-Germanism gives way to national feeling, when barbarism is overcome by regard for humanity, then and only then may we look for a prosperous and peaceful Germany.

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whole kingdom with fire and sword. Cities, towns and castles they seized and held for themselves by right of war. All of this was done under the pretext of Christianity. The motto of these “brothers” was “Gott mit Uns” the same as that of the German army today. In this age war was made to pay; pillage was reduced to system. When Henry V was crowned at St. Peters, the German guard stripped the Italian clergy, present at the coronation, of their vestments and jewels. The spoil of the different countries was taken into Saxon Germany. Fire, massacre and spoilation were the usual concomitants of German wars in medieval times. These Teutons believed that money talked and the power of gold to influence and corrupt was proverbial. “A warring and greedy land” is the way medieval writers described Germany. Brutality was a characteristic not only in this last war or the war of 1871, but it has continued all through the centuries. But what is the reason that this nation has not advanced morally as we know it has materially? Students of psychology say that national psychology is the determining factor in a nation’s evolution. German political thinking is naturally and historically imperialistic in form. Each ruler has deliberately and carefully infected the people with “Kultur.” At one time culture and “Kultur” were thought to be the same, but late events have shown that “Kultur” is the uniting of individual energies of the subjects for the kaiser and their individual gain. “Kultur” also crushed the weak by the powerful, depressed and lowered the morals of the individual so that they almost worshipped those in command. “After me you come first” is the common proverb of the German people. National feeling has never been a strong or permanent sentiment in their hearts. Prof. Thompson, writing on the subject of Pan Germanism, says: “In the main it re- mains true that Germany always has been and still is imperialistic and not national, in its political theoiy, psychology, its past history and present policy.” And now since German morals are so low she must

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1 H “Over Here” $ s By NATALIA JORDAN “It’s Tommy this an’ Tommy that, an’ ‘chuck ’im out, the brute,’ but it’s ‘Savior of ’is country’ when the guns begin to shoot.” They are coming home; from France, her skies now sunny again; from Italy, washed by the Mediterranean; from fields of glory, and the question arises, to what are they coming? This dreaded demobilization period for America will prove the greatest good fortune that ever befell a people, if the responsibility which is ours is carried out by government and communities. Though the clash of arms and the roar of battle have ceased, and uniforms are laid aside, making these heroes less interesting and appealing, they still need our careful consideration. Many boys left school to follow the flag, and these will be given the opportunity to take up their studies again in any desired line. Those who have had practically no education have realized by contact with educated men, and by travel, that with learning they could have benefitted much more by every experience, and now they plan to specialize in some line. These boys, returning, may think the town is small and neighborhood affairs petty, but be patient with them. Think of their experiences, where they have traveled, and the world’s crisis they have helped to decide. Their views of life are changed and everyday occurrences which cause us much trouble do not annoy them at all. They have lived thru experiences at the Front which will leave strange hidden scars, and even if they only waited in camps behind the lines, they were sitll living in a different manner than ever before, and the peace came as a shock to them. The boys themselves tell us that they will miss the social intercourse, the Y. M. C. A.