An Comunn Gàidhealach Publications > Deo-gréine > Volume 10, October 1914-September 1915

AN DEO-GREINE.
63
broader stream of the predominant partner. When
the Celtic note becomes stronger and clearer, and
worth listening to, the world will take notice, but
not till then.
Does the Guth think that the war could have been
avoided, or that the diplomacy of Britain was tor¬
tuous? To us, the evidence that the gigantic struggle
which Germany and Austria have forced upon Europe
was as inevitable as the phases of the moon, is
accumulating every day. What may be called the
remote causes appeared when Germany fell under the
Bismarckian gospel of “blood and iron,” and when
the power of the political philosophy of “ der wille
zur macht” gripped Germany, easy became the
descent. When Bismarck precipitated the war of
1870 by the famous forged telegram, it was but
putting into practice one of the many aphorisms of
Nietzche who said: “ Power is the criterion of truth,’’
which means that an untruth is not an untruth, if it
makes for power. When he had nothing better to say
of the British than that they were a “ fundamentally
mediocre species, blundering, conscience-stricken
animals,” the German intellectuals cried, “ Amen.”
Further strength was added to the chorus, when
Treitschke called us “ the hypocrite who, with a
bible in one hand and an opium pipe in the other,
scatters over the world the benefits of civilisation :
sweep the pirate off the seas, . . . why talk of
founding colonies ? Let us take Holland, then we
shall have them ready-made.” What is to be said of
a people who have committed themselves to the
belief that modern civilisation has its basis in a
profound error? The present Prussian policy,
tortuous and treacherous, but true to itself, trying
to live its baneful life in a new Europe, has brought
about this catastrophe. This is the verdict of the
world’s moral judgment, and, if we substitute
Germania for Carthago, the cry may be raised as in
the days of Cato Major, Delenda est Germania.
In another article in the Guth, it is argued that the
possession of submarines is likely to prove useful to
small states against powerful nations like Britain.
It anticipates that England will boldly put forward,
at the next Hague Conference, a proposal to abolish
submarines on humane grounds—another example of
English duplicity; and so on. We part with the sub¬
ject by asking ; what would the world and humanity
gain from a Prussian hegemony? No doubt the Guth
would say, a plague on both your houses—Teutonic
Germany and Tuetonic England. We ask another
question. What service is this tirade against the Teuton
and the Feudal System, which is as dead as Queen
Anne, going to do to the object for which the Guth
and ourselves exist? Bather let us both bend our
energies to get our own house in order (it is badly
needing it) and present an united front for the cause
which we profess, and not be drawn aside with
extraneous matters. The Guth and ourselves are at
one on the language movement. Let us seek success
in that first, and the rest will follow. It is not John
Bull, in his state of benevolent neutrality, that needs
conversion so much as Gaels themselves. That is
where the pity lies—people meaqh-bhlath as to the
condition of their language. The Guth is doing
much service to the cause of Gaelic; it will do more
when it ceases to dream, and when it keeps its zeal
from outstripping its discretion. But the articles to
which we refer are calculated to do harm to the
Gaelic movement, and, for ourselves, we give no
countenance to opinions which are perilously near
treason.
Cha. bhi tom no tulach,
No cnocan buidhe feurach ;
Nach bi seal gu subhach,
Is seal gu dubhach, deurach.
Is mi’m shuidh air cnocan nan deur,
Gun chraicinn air meur no air bonn:
A righ ! ’sa Pheadar, sa Phoil !
Is fad an Roimh o I.ochlong.
HOMESPUN.
TWEEDS— guaranteed genuine by An
Comunn Gaidhealach—sold by B,. G. Lawrie,
60 Renfield Street, Glasgow; K. MacLean.
Son & Co., Tailors, 4 Bridge Street, Aber¬
deen. Suits and Costumes made.
AN COMUNN GAIDHEALACH.
LIST OF NEW MEMBERS.
Life.
Malcolm G. Davidson, Esq., Nairn.
Jock H. F. MacEwen, Esq., Bardrochat, Ayr.
NOTICE.
All literary contributions, accompanied by the
name and address of the writer, should be addressed
to Mr. Donald Macphie, The Schoolhouse,
Cumbernauld, and should reach him not later
than the i8th of each month.
Communications regarding the Sale of the Maga¬
zine, Annual Subscriptions, and Advertisements,
should be addressed to Mr. Neil Sha iv,
Secretary, 108 Hope St., Glasgow. A Scale of
Charges for Advertisements will be sent on
application.
The Editor takes no reponsibility for rejected
MSS. ; but will be careful to return such as are
accompanied by a stamped addressed envelope.
The Magazine will be sent post free to all
countries in the Postal Union for i/6 per annum
Single copies will be sent by post for \\d.