Causes of the Collapse
this their tone is set, and on such people they exercise their influence. Scrupulously avoiding any seeming roughnesses, they nevertheless pour their poison from other vessels into the hearts of their readers. With a flow of pretty sounds and phrases they lull their readers in the belief that they are acting in the interest of pure science or even of morals, whereas in fact theirs is the brilliant and crafty art of thus stealing from the enemy’s hands any weapons against the press. As one set fairly drips with decency, the half-wits are all the readier to believe that with the other set it is a question of but slight abuses, which, however, must never lead to any restriction upon freedom of the press—as this mischief of poisoning and lying to the people with impunity is called. Therefore people hesitate to take action against these banditti for fear they will immediately have the “decent” press against them as well—a fear which is only too well founded. The moment anyone attempts to take action against one of these scandal sheets, all the others at once rush to its defense, of course not to approve its method of fighting. Heaven forfend; it is solely a matter of freedom of the press and of public opinion; that alone is being defended. Even the strongest men weaken under this outcry, for after all it comes entirely from the mouths of “decent” papers.
Thus this poison could enter and work in the blood-stream of our people unhindered, without the State’s having the strength to control the disease. In the ridiculous half-measures it employed one could discover the already threatening downfall of the Empire. For an institution which is no longer determined to protect itself with every available weapon has practically surrendered its existence. Every act of half-heartedness is a visible sign of inner decay, which must and will sooner or later be followed by outward collapse.
I believe that the present generation, properly guided, will more easily master the danger. It has gone through various experiences which somewhat strengthened the nerves of everyone who did not lose them altogether. No doubt even in days to come the Jew will raise a terrible outcry in his newspapers when a
241
