of the high character of
Eucken and Haeckel; and we cannot doubt their being honestly possessed
of the conviction that Germany is the supreme example of a highly
civilized State and the undisputed leader in the arts and sciences which
represent culture. It is plain that these German writers take this for
granted and that they would be indignantly surprised if it should be
questioned.

To an American who feels himself a sharer of the noble heritage of
English literature, and who has sat for more than forty years at the
feet of the masters of French literature, this claim cannot but come as
a startling surprise.

The most obvious characteristic of a highly civilized man is his
willingness to keep his word, at whatever cost to himself. For reasons
satisfactory to itself, Germany broke its pledge to respect the
neutrality of Luxemburg and of Belgium. It is another characteristic of
civilization to cherish the works of art which have been bequeathed to
us by the past. For reasons satisfactory to itself Germany destroyed
Louvain, more or less completely. It is a final characteristic of
civilized man to be humane and to refrain from ill-treating the
blameless. For reasons satisfactory to itself Germany dropped bombs in
the unbesieged City of Antwerp and caused the death of innocent women
and children. Here are three instances where German culture has been
tested and found wanting.

The Standard Bearer of Culture.

But it may be urged that war has its own exigencies and that these three
instances of uncivilized conduct partook of the nature of military
necessities. Turning from the outrages of war to the triumphs of peace,
let us make a disinterested attempt to find out just what foundation
there may be for the implicit assertion that Germany is the standard
bearer of civilization.

Perhaps it is too petty to point out that manners are the outward and
visible sign of civilization, and that in this respect the Germans have
not yet attained to the standard set by the French and the English. But
it is not insignificant to record that the Germans alone retain a
barbaric mediaeval alphabet, while the rest of Western Europe has
adopted the more legible and more graceful Roman letter; and it is not
unimportant to note that German press style is cumbrous and uncouth.
Taken collectively, these things seem to show German culture is a little
lacking in the social instinct, the desire to make things easy and
pleasant for others.