Bethink yourselves that you
are the last in whose power this great change lies. You have heard
the Germans called a unit; you have still a visible sign of their
unity--an Empire and an Imperial League--or you have heard of it;
among you even yet, from time to time, voices have been audible which
were inspired by this higher patriotism. After you become accustomed
to other concepts and will accept alien forms and a different course
of occupation and of life--how long will it then be before no one
longer lives who has seen Germans or who has heard of them?
What is demanded of you is not much. You should only keep before you
the necessity of pulling yourselves together for a little time and of
reflecting upon what lies immediately and obviously before your eyes.
You should merely form for yourselves a fixed opinion regarding
this situation, remain true to it, and utter and express it in your
immediate surroundings. It is the presupposition, yea, it is our firm
conviction, that this reflection will lead to the same result in all
of you; that, if you only seriously consider, and do not continue in
your previous heedlessness, you will think in harmony; and that,
if you can bring your intelligence to bear, and if only you do not
continue to vegetate, unanimity and unity of spirit will come of
themselves. If, however, matters once reach this point, all else that
we need will result automatically.
Pages:
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142