lb 
 
 An American to Americans 
 
 John L. Stoddard 
 
 Noted A nthor- Traveler 
 TELLS 
 
 THE TRUTH ABOUT GERMANY 
 
 AND THE WAR IN EUROPE 
 
From John L. Stoddard, well known author-traveler, friends in 
 California have received the following letter, dealing with war, war 
 times and the war-stricken: 
 
 Meeran (Tyrol), Sept. 14, 1914. 
 
 Dear Friends Across the Sea: I fear you have been misinformed 
 about the present war. News must have reached you almost entirely 
 from French and English sources. How incorrect that news can be 
 J know from personal experience. I spent the first month of the war 
 in Italy. From the Italian papers, which received their news from 
 France and England, I formed there an erroneous opinion both of the 
 origin of the war and the events of the campaign. Every effort has 
 been made by France and England to bribe the Italian government, 
 by virtual promises of Trieste and the Trientiner region, to declare 
 war against its former allies. A similar attempt is being made, no 
 doubt, to prejudice public opinion in the United States. It is difficult 
 for the truth to reach you. The German cable has been cut, and let- 
 ters going out from here, as well as those addressed to Americans in 
 Germany and Austria, are opened, held back or destroyed. 
 
 We are cut off from the rest of the world, save as we manage to 
 communicate insecurely through a neutral country. While in Italy I 
 read of revolting German cruelties, of revolutions in Berlin, of the 
 shooting of the socialist, Liebknecht, and even of the unwillingness of 
 southern Germans to fight with their northern brothers— all abso- 
 lutely untrue. Every achievement of the Germans and Austrians was 
 ignored or minimized. Thus it was for weeks maintained that, al- 
 though the German army had indeed entered the city of Liege', all 
 its surrounding forts were still in the hands of the enemy! Until I 
 crossed the Tyrolese frontier from Switzerland I had no idea of the 
 amazing successes of the Teutonic forces, or of the wonderful spirit of 
 universal brotherhood, love and devotion to the fatherland which 
 prevailed from the Rhine to the Vistula and from the Danube to the 
 Elbe. 
 
 England is trying to give you the impression that this war was 
 instigated by the Emperor William and a military caste in Germany. 
 This is not true. It is a people's war. The Germans stand behind their 
 kaiser to a man. They are fighting for their very existence, threat- 
 ened and surrounded by a world of foes. If people were not' blinded 
 by envy, dazed by fear and hypnotized by the expression, "German 
 War Lord," they would feel both sympathv and admiration for this 
 magnificently disciplined and cultured nation, facing north, south, 
 east and west, to conquer and repel its foes on land and sea ! Nor are 
 its princes sitting back, like the royal figureheads of England and Rus- 
 sia, letting their subjects do the fighting. 
 
PRINCES SHOW BRAVERY 
 
 The kaiser has six sons and his son-in-law in the field. Four of his 
 sons have been wounded. The heir apparent of Bavaria, the kitlg of 
 Wurtemberg and many other princes have shown not only military 
 capacity, but personal bravery, with their soldiers, under fire. It is 
 impossible to do justice in words to the enthusiasm, the unanimous 
 devotion and the solemn earnestness of the people of Germany and 
 Austria at the present moment. Fathers go to the front, if possible, 
 with their sons. If not, they volunteer for any kind of service at home, 
 and all their women bravely bid them Godspeed. Practically every 
 family in Germany and Austria is represented at one of the frontiers. 
 
 The great Bavarian oxen draw the carts around the streets of 
 Munich, since all the horses also have gone out to toil and die for the 
 land that nourished them. I read but yesterday a pathetic list of 
 objects contributed to the Red Cross by people in this little place, too 
 poor to offer money. Among them were rings, bracelets, watches, 
 pictures, some of them precious heirlooms, but now gladly laid upon 
 the, altar of the fatherland. Do you suppose that such a unanimous 
 national sentiment as this, which thrills and solemnizes the beholder, 
 and in which every trace of party rivalry has disappeared, can have 
 been called into existence by a "military caste" or war-mad emperor? 
 The sixty millions of this great, educated and enlightened German 
 empire are neither dupes nor fools. They know what they are doing, 
 and why. With them also, shoulder to shoulder and heart to heart, 
 stand many thousands of Americans now in Germany and Austria, 
 who understand the causes of this struggle and the fateful destinies 
 that hang upon this issue. You know the names of many of them. 
 They are for the most part American professors, teachers, writers, 
 students, artists and serious men of affairs, who are temporarily re- 
 siding in the fatherland. They are not taking sides with Germany for 
 "what there is in it." Nor are they social sycophants. They have not 
 been presented at court, and do not expect to be. They are earnest, 
 level-headed Americans, who love and admire Germany, and realize 
 the enormous debt which they and all the rest of the world owe to her 
 in architecture, music, science, municipal management, commerce, 
 steamship lines and, above all, in her inspiring literature and in her 
 great universities, where thousands of our youth have come for years 
 to complete their education. Nor are they anxious now to hasten back 
 to the United States, as thousands of belated tourists have been obliged 
 to. They feel it both a duty and a privilege to stay and do their ut- 
 most to relieve distress, to comfort the bereaved and to assist the Red 
 Cross work, thankful to show their gratitude for the protection, ben- 
 efits and happiness they have here received. 
 
 BLAMES RUSSIA FOR WAR 
 
 Now what is it that we, in common with sixty million Germans, 
 believe about this horrible war? First, that the Emperor William is 
 not, as has been represented to you, the cause and promoter of it. The 
 blame for this lies primarily at the door of Russia. Two years ago a 
 
4 
 
 prominent Russian official said to me: "In 1915 you will see great 
 things. Russia has recuperated from the Japanese war, and is burning 
 to recover her lost prestige. The Russian war party cannot be re- 
 strained. You will soon see the Teuton's land inundated by the Slavic 
 flood." 
 
 Why did Russia intervene in behalf of Servia? Do you suppose 
 for one moment, in view of her infamous home record and her treat- 
 ment of the many races crushed by her that she did this from any 
 motive of chivalry ? She is merely carrying out her cherished plan of 
 making a Slavic onslaught on the Teuton. In this she is assisted by 
 poor, visionary France and envious England. Yet if Russia should 
 succeed, with the help of her allies, in crushing Germany and Austria, 
 she would prove a menace to the world such as mankind has never 
 seen. It is amazing that this fact is not more universally apprehended. 
 You know what Russia is. Only a short time ago England was holding 
 up her hands in horror at her cruelties and perfidy. Prince Kropotkine, 
 the Russian revolutionist, gave me not long since a book of his, de- 
 scribing present conditions in Russia, and said to me: "The facts I 
 have related here are absolutely true, and are so horrible that, while 
 writing of them, I have scarcely been able to sleep." 
 
 There exists in London today a society of eminent publishers, 
 writers and philanthropists, whose purpose is to reveal to their country- 
 men the infamy of Russia's government. Nevertheless, it is to this 
 despotic, semi-barbaric power that England and France, jealous and 
 apprehensive of the progress and success of Germany, are lending now 
 their aid. But what can they expect if German civilization and culture 
 are crushed, if Germany and Austria are overrun by Cossacks, and if 
 the Tsar's hordes ravage Berlin, Dresden and Vienna. England would 
 dearly rue the substitution of Slavic for Teutonic hegemony. Russia 
 desires to be absolutely master in the Balkans, and once supreme there, 
 would inevitably seize Constantinople. Who then could possibly pre- 
 vent her doing so? Her love for Serbs is a pretext of transparent 
 thinness. What are these Serbs? A semi-civilized people, who but a 
 few years since murdered their own king and queen and threw their 
 corpses on a dunghill ; a people whose atrocities in the recent war with 
 Turkey chilled the blood of all who read of them; a treacherous folk, 
 whose ambition for "pan-Slavic expansion" caused the assassination 
 last July of the future sovereigns of Austria-Hungary. Ask yourselves 
 how England or any other country would have acted if its king, 
 emperor or president had been thus brutally done to death by a neigh- 
 borhood people, which for years, incited by a foreign foe, had been a 
 constant source of danger and annoyance. How can one overlook that 
 monstrous, culminating provocation when treating of this question? 
 
 CONSTANT INTRIGUES 
 All through the month of July there came no suitable apology or 
 explanation from the Servian government, in spite of positive evidence 
 of the close connection of the Servian war party with the crime at 
 Serajevo. Austria and Servia should have been allowed to settle 
 this matter by themselves. As one who has resided in the Tyrol for 
 
5 
 
 many years, I can assure you that what the dual monarchy has en- 
 dured from constant intrigues, treachery and insolent defiance on the 
 part of Servia, all of which were instigated or approved by Russia, 
 no other European nation would have borne so long and patiently ; 
 especially in view of the fact that Austria-Hungary has so many 
 millions of Serbs and races affiliated with them in her own territory. 
 The attitude and action of Servia in July were really dictated by the 
 Russian government, which saw in this its wished-for opportunity. 
 Germany's conscience is clear. 
 
 Read, if you can obtain a copy of it, Germany's "White Book," 
 which a number of our countrymen are taking back with them to 
 publish and spread broadcast in the United States. Would you have 
 had Germany desert her ally when a huge Russian army was marching 
 on Galicia? 
 
 The Emperor William is persistently blamed for declaring war on 
 Russia. But why ignore the fact that he sent telegram after telegram 
 to the Tsar, urging him not to mobilize and send his troops toward 
 Austria? Consider Germany's position, with France prepared to 
 spring on her from one side, and with a million and a half Russians 
 advancing on the other! Quick action was essential for her preserva- 
 tion. Germany mobilized in order, first, to resist the Russian advance ; 
 second, to aid her ally, as in duty bound, and thirdly, to protect her- 
 self from being crushed between two mighty powers on the east and 
 west. Sixty million Germans in the fatherland and doubtless millions 
 more throughout the world believe that the kaiser acted wisely and 
 rightly in doing as he did, and they will support him and his action 
 to the last gun and the last man. Moreover, as I have said, thousands 
 of Americans now in Germany and Austria are as fully convinced of this 
 as are the Teutons themselves. Do not regard us all as blind and pre- 
 judiced until you hear and study the other side. 
 
 Above all, look well at England's motives before you give her the 
 approval she is trying now so hard to gain. For the last dozen years 
 I have been a constant reader of English books and newspapers, and 
 I have been profoundly impressed by the ever-recurring lamentation 
 in them over England's lack of enterprise and energy, and especially 
 over the degeneracy visible in her sport-besotted youth. A score of 
 volumes written by Englishmen and countless clippings now in my 
 possession prove the truth of this assertion. A society has recently 
 been formed in London by eminent clergymen, teachers and conserva- 
 tive parents for the express purpose of counteracting this decadent 
 
 We have seen for years how the aged commander-in-chief, Lord 
 Roberts has, by spoken and written words, tried to create a more 
 virile spirit among his countrymen. But in proportion, as England 
 has perceived and been ashamed of her increasing inefficiency, she has 
 also felt gnawing at her vitals envy and hatred for the nation which 
 was efficient and which was pushing successfully her trade and com- 
 merce to those parts of the world where England had been so long 
 pre-eminent that she had come to look upon her trade supremacy 
 there as something given her by divine right. 
 
6 
 
 ENGLAND'S SORDID MOTIVES. 
 
 The clearest proof of the sordidness of England's motives is the 
 order she has given the people not to trade with any firm throughout 
 the world which has a German partner ! John Burns resigned from the 
 English ministry to show his disapproval of the war; yet in his speech 
 against it you will find no reference to lofty principles, but only argu- 
 ments to prove that such a war would be disastrous to Great Bri- 
 tain's business interests. That "Nation of Shopkeepers," as Napoleon 
 called England, cannot rise above the money standard. A story il- 
 lustrates this fact. An Englishman recently said to a German: "We 
 shall fight it out to our last penny." "We," replied the German, 
 "shall fight it out to the last drop of blood." It is significant to see, 
 now that the mask has fallen, how English men and women speak of 
 Germany and her emperor. An English lady had written recently: 
 "We must make the Teuton lick the dust. We must kick him out of 
 recognition." 
 
 Moreover, I have just read the following in a letter written by an 
 Englishman: "I hope, this man, William, will be obliged to abdicate, 
 or will be taken prisoner and sent to some island like Napoleon. This 
 blaspheming, hypocritical, lying kaiser will soon have reason, I hope, 
 to regret the day he was born." This is of course the language of a 
 boor. But what shall we say of the Poet Laureate of England, who 
 likens this war of the nations to a conflict between Christ and the 
 devil? This comparison would be ridiculous, if it were not blasphe- 
 mous, and needs no comment. Still more incredible seems the recent 
 appeal made to the English by the poet, Rudyard Kipling, in which 
 he writes: "Wake! for the Hun is at the gate!" Does it seem pos- 
 sible that any one outside of a lunatic asylum would compare the 
 perfectly disciplined German army, in the ranks of which stand thou- 
 sands of graduates of the noble universities of Gottingen, Heidel- 
 berg, Leipzig and Berlin, to the most barbaric and destructive of the 
 races of antiquity? 
 
 One must smile in reading this when one recalls the bitter indict- 
 ment which the same poet wrote some years ago to warn England 
 against her present ally, Russia, in which he likens the latter to "the 
 bear that walks like a man !" It would be interesting to watch the faces 
 of these fire eaters when they read the news of the behavior of the 
 vaunted English heroes at St. Quentin and Maubeuge. As for the 
 present sc. f iment of Germany for English it is well expressed in the 
 following passage recently published in a letter: "I can -assure you 
 that our indignation against England is much greater than that against 
 Russia and France, for England has betrayed her own blood and bears 
 upon her brow the brand of Cain." 
 
 Yet Lady Acton and others have just testified, in a letter to the 
 Times, to the kind treatment which they and many of their com- 
 patriots who are detained in Germany have received. They also re- 
 quest that paper to correct the false reports which have been pub- 
 lished in regard to the ill treatment of English people by Germans. 
 
 It is now known that an understanding had long existed between 
 
: 
 
 Belgium France and England whereby, in case of war, French troops 
 should be allowed to pass through Belgian territory; but that if 
 Germany on her part should attempt it, England would intervene 
 tor this much evidence is at hand. History will show that French 
 officers were already in the fortress of Liege when Germany was 
 mobilizing. Two French officers, taken prisoners at Namur acknowl- 
 edged that they had arrived there already on the 30th of July. 
 
 VIOLATION OF TREATY. 
 
 The English claim the violation of Belgian territory by the Ger- 
 mans as their excuse for declaring war. But could cither Sir Edward 
 Grey or Mr. Asqmth raise his hand and swear upon his honor that 
 they would not have made war just the same, whether or not Belgian 
 -soil had been invaded ? It was a pretext long before prepared. You 
 know that last July the fate of the English Government was critical 
 A civil war was imminent in Ulster. Shots had already been fired in 
 Dublin. The Cabinet knew that any day the ground might sink be- 
 neath their feet. Hence, eager to avert internal trouble, they grasped 
 with joy the long-awaited opportunity to join with others— for Eng- 
 land never fights a European power alone— in ruining German com- 
 merce and in destroying the German fleet. How can England, of all 
 nations, talk of violating international rights? Her wars in Asia, 
 Africa and Egypt have all been waged for conquest and the carrying 
 out of her imperial policy. Think of her war against the Boers, uni- 
 versally reprobated abroad and largely condemned at home! Look 
 at her present high-handedness in treating Egypt and the Suez canal 
 as if they were a British province instead of being a Turkish depend- 
 ency, and, at all events, neutral territory. 
 
 Think of her taking from Holland steamers private letters addressed 
 to persons (including thousands of Americans) in Germany and 
 Austria! Consider her efforts to prevent Holland and Scandinavia 
 from sending food to Germany; and, worst of all, think of her calling 
 on the Japanese to do her dirty work for her in destroying the fleet 
 and in capturing the colonies of Germany in distant seas! It seems 
 also to be a fact, which I was at first reluctant to believe, that English 
 firms have furnished and English troops have used the hideously 
 maiming dum-dum bullets, forbidden by the rules of civilized nations. 
 If this were not an established fact, surely the German kaiser would 
 not have telegraphed his protest against it to the President of the 
 United States. 
 
 As for the "cruelties" attributed to the Germans, you know the 
 sort of men who compose the German army. You know that in its 
 ranks there stand the representatives of the entire nation, not mere 
 hired soldiers, as in England. 
 
 The Germans are unlike the brutal and uneducated Serbs and 
 Cossacks. They are incapable of the barbarities alleged against them 
 by the lying press. Where no attacks have been made upon them by 
 non-combatants in French and Belgian towns such places have been 
 unmolested. Payment has been given, or assured, for all the food- 
 
8 
 
 Wisals have been taken, i am noi wiuiu,.. 8 ...... 
 
 lly. But in such cases, alas, there is no other way. 
 
 PREDICTS VICTORY. 
 
 all the culture which it represents. Behind it also stands the staunch 
 uncorrupted, undegenerate Teutonic character. Again I beg you not 
 to make the mistake of separating in this fearful struggle the Ger- 
 man and Austrian peoples from their sovereigns. If you do that and 
 pity the people, while condemning the emperors, you are absolutely 
 wrong The Germans love and revere their gifted kaiser, and hold 
 that he was fully justified in acting as he did. Make no mistake 
 ahout this! . 
 
 The spirit of the Austrians also, whose difficulties are enormous 
 from the nature of the battleground and fro'm the heterogeneity of 
 their people, is worthy of the land of Andreas Hofer. Here is a passage 
 from a letter written me by an Austrian officer: "I, who am a soldier 
 with all my heart and soul, assure you that I and all my comrades will 
 do our duty with the utmost joy. The enemy may look down into 
 our valley from the mountain crests, but they shall never come down 
 here so long as the last man of us can move. Our good, old, dearly- 
 loved emperor shall have to be contented with his soldiers. We have 
 all sworn No retreat !" The other day when a train of badly wounded 
 soldiers drew in to where the German emperor was waiting to receive 
 them the gallant fellows sang in unison before him the soul-stirring 
 
 "While yet one drop of life-blood flows 
 
 The sword shall never know repose; 
 While yet one arm the shot can pour 
 
 The foe shall never reach thy shore ; 
 Rest, Fatherland, for sons of thine 
 
 Will steadfast keep the Wacht am Rhine." 
 And while the wounded everywhere are singing that immortal 
 song the troops in bivouac at night, in solemn gratitude for victory, 
 unite in chanting in impressive tones that echo over the adjoining hills, 
 the words of Luther's noble tribute to a faith still dear to them: 
 "Eine feste Burg ist unser Gott!" 
 
 (Signed) JOHN L. STODDARD. 
 
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