Daily Kennebec journal., 1913-11-22
Saturday, November 20, 1918.
The Perils of Modern Powers.

age of unrest among Americans, dho
are realizing more acutely every day
that. with the rapid broadening OF the
general public's grasp of national and
world affairs, the one time general
opinion" has been confounded, and that
upon every topic there are today as
many opinions as minds, and no TWO
in exact harmony--when we reailZe
these things and then ponder the pos
sibiIities of every one of the big pro-
blems now confronting civilization, we
may excusably question the ability OF
rhe human mind to cope with 1t all.
Today America has d bouquet OF big
wof;t: problems to meet, either ol
which is bound Ia tax our best minus
and diplomacy to the utmost Let us
mention first. Mexico. because Il Is
nearest and most of US have beer
obliged to sit up and watch the SHOW
Hut. although SO little is now beng
said the Japanese problem is OF ire
menaous Importance to US and TO the
world. 1t is perhaps. regardless ol
what irresponsible writers may aasi
of in space rate sneers, or cocksure edi-
tors NAV settle off hand, fhe biggest
problem confronting America or inc
world today Tho Columbia Panama
difficulty is not TO be swept aside, ana
our treaties mean more than the tenn
uorary agreement upon the course OF q
political party-and we would not mere
recall the general arbitration treaty
which England and France would nave
met us upon, and which we. refused 10
sign.
These are days Of big troubles as
wen IS big rejoieings. We are dancing
but the fiddler must be paid and we are
roo big to dodge. You can't capture
a cricket with "a horse-rake. nor can
on elephant hide in a peanut sheli. we
this great American republic OF ours
.,e the Zig mark today in world af-
fairs. Our bigness must be bigger thah
that of the biggest of big nations be-
eause we placed our ambition higher
than they and set the pace of progress.
Now. as nation, we must MAKE soou
or. what is your answer
Other nations have their problems
brt theirs will be simplified more or
loss bv the solution of ours, rather
than ours by the settlement of theirs.
II Two trains are approaching each
other at terrific speed on sihsle
track. and the brakes are insufficient
10 hal. them, crash is inevitable. IN
more than one of our national prob
lens. the far-seeing fear for the ellie
iency of the =. brakes--those good
American brakes. of justice and com.
mon sense. Can they hold us from dis
aster?
There is our danger today--the IT.
responsible. the thoughtless and the
don't-eare passengers who are tampef-
ing with the brakes, and who arc VIII
in. to gamble ON the results Oh cutting
them away.
We remarked that other great ma
tIons have their troubles anu thef
Governments are as sorely puzzled as
our own They. teo, are confronted ps
tba reckless ones who monkey with the
hrakes. one Of Great Britains is ad-
m,ra,,lv set forth by an editorial writer
of the Boston Transcript, as toiloWs.
Tbere are over 100000 Hindus on
strike in Natal, and it is quite prop
anle that a good many thousands u
them will fight back If the state poii0e =
ar militia attack for the purpose VI
,,riyinr them into prisf rs or com
,o,ads. rut what the leaders OF the
noo,semept PLANNED was passive re-
.,.T,a,cer II NAV be natural enough
,s,ory .mnloyers and batiled legis-
,ators 10 endeavor to make IL aetiN''
but il is distinctly dangerous W &c
..,.,,.,te IL in the slightest degree. fo-
litical discrimination has brt ushl N
dian feeling TO a point o' protest Tic
imnarils not only the industrlai pio9
nerity of an important part Oh 7ou - -
Africa. but the perpetaieg VI '''s,',''
rnle in India When the white peopie
IN Natal. the Cape and the TrahsN4Hi'
n.rntine the British flag as theirs
deny the rights Of British eitizehsniP 81 :
- British Indians born under thae e
90 the whole tradition and habit oi
raasonable freedom under impefla'
ra,action is fouted. and all India mas
10 faith in the British Government
aaon,v and depIorably shaken -.
=, Is true that in several otner on
~ dominions and colonies the HihaC
.n,n,igrants are treated as interiors aio
a~sn as "undesrahles. but ~ ms ea'''
ea,,ntrles they are comParatNe'y '.. "a NV y,
IA they have gone there uninvl.ep ,,.. !, :,
aa,th Africa, and more particu.aris -
sn,al so The situation is different, MAJ =,
..o,s as the Indians were ihV''eu ''',, :,
ar, mn, for and welcomed ana nov ,,.,,,,e. "
So, are as numerous as 'ie - =
49, rna i, Is that the large queslian ,itie@ =
"u ,s,tion of Asiaties IN ,he p5''s'I ~,
tns ~ when they travel oeyoha na, iP
$50 $500. Of their own coh.l,s,a' fs,na an,
"u - mead in South Aii,e,. c.asa,n 49,,