The Washington herald., 1914-09-08
THE OPEN FORUM.
Europe's War and Our Own. and
American PEOPLES DUTY.

To the Editor: The condition Of the
people Of Europs makes a strong appeal.
The are our friends and all we can do
to ameliorate the suffering of their fam
lies, their sick, their wounded and to
assuaSe the srief of the mentally dis
,ressed shall be done without thought Of
preference. This tremendous struggle is
really interneClne. and will bear COM
parisUn in some respects with the fratri-
c!dal contest between our States nifty
years ago.
During our civil war there was a great
deal of animos!ty-reaI enmity-betweeu
the citizens of Northern and those OF
Southern States. which had a very posi-
tive and sinister effect On the country
after peace was made-an effect now
moderated TO a large extent as time
has buried the wounds. and softeurd
grief. These symptoms Of persona
anger arise from the natural TepuEnAnCe
| 70 ChanCe-adhcren. 20 habitual con.
dtions-partiCularIy when the change is
sharp and involves actual suffering. HUI
man kind are in the main alike in pre-
! ferrinS the ways of peace to the pains
! Of war-crualtieS. privaLuns, death ana
/ dIseasc-involv!nE suffering. long exist
ing and difficult 10 he relieved
So it was with Us and rluCh question
was made. and has bon made, regarding
the cause OF our war. a We are now,
asking why these people Of Europe are
nChtnE each other.
The cause Of our civil war may be
traced to circumstances involving what is
now REGARDED aS the principle Of union.
This principle not founded in the Con-
stitUtiOn, was nevertheless held At heart
as that whereby tn" existence Of each
state was maintained in the condition Of
the tlme-the status Tuo-and the event
than Of natural and deep foundation.
Although the relations Of its nations to
each other appear different from those
which exist between the CommOnwe his
composing the United States. it is not
diffiCut to discern the existence Of a like
principle in Europe. Its clos ly neighbOr-
ing peoples have long held their CtviliZa-
ton under different nati0nalties, and
have conuraded with each other in wars.
For when one power or combination of
powers grew ovcrstrnnS. other countries,
lOrescciuc danS"r.combined to balance the
matter Tor tho preServa alton of the several
nations. Th->o unions or combinations 70
preserve the balance Of power in order to
conserve individual nations show the i'm
minent Importance Of the principle, and
are similar to that which taCitly exists
between our States. In other words, when
all are holding to each other in the stress
in human nature 10 allow a portion to
break the chain Of custom and habit.
History is full Of examples Of the work.
ing of this principle.
What nation is responsible for break
ing the long standing peace Of Europe is
a question for the future. At present We
can only concern ourselves with the dire
circumstances involving our fellow hu-
man beings. by such bearing and action
as shall tend to cOnCiiatOn of minds and
amelioration Of conditions. for which our
able statesmen have provided that We
are well situated and wisely advised. 1t
is more than probable that the under
lying causes OF the upheaNal-the con-
ditions which led to breaking the con-
ditions involving the balance OF power,
were not unique. and 1t is germane to
point to the widespread discomfort and
unrest which, of la;e years. has existed
among these different Peoples, owing to
oyercrowdinG and consequent economic
distress. War IS an efficient, but barbar-
Gus means OF relieving these conditions
but until civilization has advanced to the
point where the governing 10 not In the