CHAPTER XIII

“MAN TO MAN AND STEEL TO STEEL” Scott.

Mention has already been made of German disrespect, even contempt for England and the English.  One of the reasons for this contempt was the smallness of the British army, and the fact that our soldiers are paid servants of the country.  Germans apparently never could comprehend why a man should receive payment for serving his country by bearing arms, and that fact appeared to them to afford overwhelming evidence of the pedlar-soul (Kraemergeist).  The second conclusion drawn, has generally been that the Britisher is devoid of all sense of duty and self-sacrificing patriotism.  Probably the flocking of several million men to arms in defence of the Empire, and in defence of British conceptions of right and wrong has done something to convince Germans that the premises of the syllogism, were not so self-evident as they had imagined.

“Among all the great European Powers, England is the only one which has not introduced national service and remained true to the principle of keeping an army of paid soldiers.  Hence, when in all other lands at the outbreak of war, the entire people stands ready to defend the national honour, England is compelled to beat the recruiting drums before she can wage war."[226]

[Footnote 226:  Dr. H. Hirschberg:  “Wie John Bull seine Soeldner wirbt” ("How John Bull recruits his Mercenaries"), p. 3.  Hirschberg reproduces in facsimile a large number of the recruiting placards which have decorated the British Isles since the outbreak of war.  “Your King and Country need you” is also given (English and German) with music.]

“England wages war on business lines.  It is not the sons of the land who bleed for Britannia’s honour; mercenaries from the four corners of the world—­including blacks—­carry on the war as a trade for England’s business world and nobility.  England might well smirk as she uttered blessings on the Triple Entente, for has she not borne the brand of perfidy for centuries?  Her breast conceals the meanest pedlar’s spirit in the, world.

“Every battle which Russia loses is a victory for England, and every defeat which France suffers means profit for England.  She can afford to wait till her allies are beaten and then take over their business.  ‘First come, first served’ does not hold good in England’s case; for her motto is, the last to come gets the prize.

“Twelve Powers declared war on Germany.  Then Japan, the thirteenth, poked out her yellow face and demanded Kiau Chou.  A hyena had smelt corpses, but the blackmailing Mongol received no reply to his ultimatum.  Grim laughter was heard in Germany—­booming, bitter laughter at the band of thieves who hoped to plunder us.  And in the wantonness of their righteous wrath, German soldiers scribbled on the barrack walls an immortal sentence:  ‘Declarations of war thankfully received!’"[227]