The best evidence of the success of the industrializing process in Germany is the fact that when the War was over one of the leaders of German industry and trade was able to state his opinion that commerce was the one force which could set Germany on her legs again. These words, uttered by Stinnes, caused incredible con¬ fusion ; but they were caught up and have become with startling rapidity the motto of all the humbugs and chatterers who in the guise of “Statesmen” have been squandering the fortunes of Germany since the Revolution.
One of the worst evidences of decadence in Germany before the War was the universal half-heartedness that was displayed more and more in everything that was undertaken. It is always a result of a man’s uncer¬ tainty about a thing, and the pusillanimity arising from that and other causes. The system of education was the cause of this defect.
There were a great number of weak points in German education before the War. It was fashioned on a one¬ sided system with a view to mere knowledge and very little with a view to producing practical ability. Still less score was set on formation of character, very little on encouraging the joy of responsibility, and none at all on cultivation of will-power and decision. The result of this was not the strong man, but rather the pliable possessor of much knowledge—and that was what we Germans were universally considered to be before the War and for which we enjoyed consideration. The German was liked because he was a useful man, but owing to the weakness of his will-power he was little respected. There was a good reason for his dropping nationality and Fatherland more easily than almost any other nation. That fine proverb : “With one’s hat in one’s hand we can go all over the world”, describes it all.
This pliability became disastrous when it governed the form under which alone the Monarch might be approached. The form insisted on no