tailieunhanh - VILLA ELSA A Story of German Family Life

THIS narrative offers a gentle but permanent answer to the problem presented to humanity by the German people. It seeks to go beyond the stage of indemnities, diplomatic or trade control, peace by armed preponderance. These agencies do not take into account Teuton nature, character, manner of living, beliefs. Unless the Germans are changed, the world will live at swords' points with them both in theory and in practice. Whether they are characteristically Huns or not, it should be tragically realized that something ought to be done to alter their type. Their minds, hearts, souls, should be touched in. | VILLA ELSA A Story of German Family Life BY STUART HENRY NEW YORK E. P. DUTTON COMPANY 681 Fifth Avenue Copyright 1920 BY E. P. DUTTON COMPANY All Rights Reserved Printed in the United States of America TO Pat and Anna IN LOVING TOKEN OF OUR WINTER S CONVERSATIONS ON THE GERMANS FOREWORD THIS narrative offers a gentle but permanent answer to the problem presented to humanity by the German people. It seeks to go beyond the stage of indemnities diplomatic or trade control peace by armed preponderance. These agencies do not take into account Teuton nature character manner of living beliefs. Unless the Germans are changed the world will live at swords points with them both in theory and in practice. Whether they are characteristically Huns or not it should be tragically realized that something ought to be done to alter their type. Their minds hearts souls should be touched in a direct personal intimate way. There should be a natural relationship of good feeling an intelligent and lived mutual experience worked up brought viii about. A League of Nations of Peace inevitably based on some sort of force should be followed by a truly human programme leading to the amicable conversion of that race if it is at heart unrepentant crafty murderous. In the absence of any particular heed being paid to this underlying fundamental subject the present pages suggest for it a vital solution that seems both easy and practical and would promise to relieve anxiety as to an indefinitely uncertain ugly future ahead of harassed mankind. How shall the German be treated in the present century and beyond To try to answer this aright it is obviously necessary to know what the German is what he is really like. To know him at his best in his truest colors is to live with him in his most normal condition and that is at his fireside surrounded by his family. This aspect has been the least fully presented during the war. What the Teuton military and political chieftains clergymen professors captains