South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1914-09-17
LATE WAR NEWS
CAUSES RACES To
MIHGLE AMICABLY.
All NatiOnaIitieS Gather in the
Streets of New York TO Dis
CuSS Results in the European
Scramble.

Kew YORK. sept 1.-THE great
European war has accomplished one
unexpected and astonishing result in
New York. the establishment Of
peoples forums i'm all parts OF the
greater city. where primarily the news
Of the conflict is discussed but where
almost every other possible topic OF
conversation is aired and exhausted
il the course of an evening
In the Informal gathering places,
mainly around newspaper bulletin
boards. the most amazing circum-
stance is that the war discussions
meme men Of all races and nation
aiities. OF conflicting ideals and sym
pathies. vet the talk IS always friend
l. and amicable There seems 10 be
an entire lack OF bitterness
Where one would expect, in these
trOubIOus times to see ugly temper
displayed. resulting in fsticuffs and
riot the utmost good nature prevails.
Germans. Frenchmen Englishmen.
ITishmen. Austrians. Italians, Rus
slams. Jews and Americans join i'm the
arguments and oppose each other
heatedly but ill-feeling is conspicuous
for its absence.
Same Crowd Every Night.
front of a newspaper office at Forty
second st and Broadway a group OF
several hundred men. They cOngre-
gate IN front Of the war bulletin
boards but a close observer will
notice that they pay little attention TO
abe bulletins. They give them "a cur
Sorv glance and then look around
them, apparently for familiar faces.
And that is another remarkable
feature or the forum gatherings, the
fame people are there almost every
night
Toe dis cussions always start with
the war. Usually some elderly man.
cognized as a leader of that patio
Tlar Informal meeting place. viii ell
What the newspapers have related
that day. He viii comment on it at
length Then others will tell what
dhey think IL means and the argument
IS we'll under way.
For Instance one man severely
criticized the Germans for invading
Belgium Immediately "a German
spoke up and said that the Germans
only beat the French to it. that the
French would have violated Belgium
neutrality If they had had chance
Stick 10 the facts" cried an old
man in the end OF the crowd. 1--WE
are talking about what Germany did.
We cannot say what France would or
~
or what has been done"
Argue All Questions
And for "A quarter OF an hour this
discussion viii keep mp. with each
speaker talking. as though he were on
platform. loud enough for the
crowd 20 hear. Each speaker is list
ened 10 respectfully and given all the
time he wants 10 voice his sentiments.
But very soon the talk gets away from
war There are i'm the crowds men Of
every religions. cTeeds and political
faith socialists. anarchists atheists.
Catholics. Protestants and what not.
Usually. and strangely enough. the
nights discussion gets around 10 re-
lgiOn and then the argument is wide
spread IL is n fact that nearly every
man i'm the crowd has a religion OF
some sort and he Is ready to defend il
Icy argument.
Tn all the crowds. too. there is
sprinkling Of women Some of them
sneak mp. too. and the mon listen to
them deferentially. hut do not hest
tate TO dispute with them if their ut
teranCes are not i'm accord with the
n,cn'S ideas
The remarkable fact is that the Eu-
ropean war has brought these forums
into being Apparently they were i'm
&ew York thousands OF people anNi-
Gus tO get together with their fellow
citizens and discuss the affairs of the
day. but there were no convenient
places Until the war provided them i'm
the shape OF bulletin boards. In the
FIRST heat of the conflict. men rushed
Iy thousands 10 the bulletin boards
Soon their interest I'm the war tagged
81 little bit. hut they had found a place
10 air their views and now they are
nightly visitors.