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.
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