The Project Gutenberg eBook, Plain Words From America, by Douglas W.
Johnson

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Title: Plain Words From America

Author: Douglas W. Johnson

Release Date: November 14, 2003 [eBook #10078]

Language: English

Character set encoding: US-ASCII

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PLAIN WORDS FROM AMERICA

A LETTER TO A GERMAN PROFESSOR

BY

Professor DOUGLAS W. JOHNSON

Columbia University, New York

1917.

PUBLISHER'S NOTE.

_The following letter, written by Professor Douglas W. Johnson, of
Columbia University, is in reply to a letter, pleading the cause of
Germany, which he received from a German correspondent. Professor
Johnson's letter appeared in the "Revue de Paris" of September_, 1916.

PLAIN WORDS FROM AMERICA

_February_, 1916.

Your two letters, with enclosed newspaper clippings, and your postal
card were duly received. I can assure you that my failure to reply more
promptly was not meant as any discourtesy. The clippings were gladly
received, for I am always anxious to read what prominent Germans regard
as able and convincing presentations of their side of disputed matters.
Your own letters, particularly the long one of July 9, were read most
carefully. I appreciate your earnest endeavour to convince me of the
righteousness of your country's cause, and am not unmindful of the time
and trouble you spent in preparing for me so carefully worded a
presentation of the German point of view touching several matters of the
profoundest importance to our two Governments.

My failure to reply has been due to a doubt in my own mind as to whether
good would be accomplished by any letter which I could write. I could
not agree with your opinions regarding Germany's responsibility for the
war, nor regarding her methods of conducting the war; and it did not
seem to me that you would profit by any statement I might make as to the
reasons for my own opinions on such vital matters. Your letters clearly
showed that you wrote under the influence of an intense emotion--an
emotion which I can both u