Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1914-08-13

OF the many able Editorials written
on the European cataclysm. We think
the following deduction Of the PhiIa-
dslphia Public Ledger more cogenily
present the situation than any yet
written Editor.
Germany is not responsible. Russia
is not responsible, or Austria or France,
or England. The pillars Of civilization
are undermined and human aspirations
bludgeoned down by no Power. but by
all powers; by no autocrat, but BY all
autocrats; not because this Une or that
has erred or dared or dreamed or swag
gered, but because ali, in mad STAN
pede for armament. trade and terri
tory, have sowed swords and guns,
nourished harvests of death-dealing
crops. made ready the way.
For what reason other than war have
billions in bonds and taxes been clamp
ed on the backsof all Europe? None
sought to evade war; each sought to
be prepared to triumph when it came.
At most some chancelleries whispered
for delay, postponement; they knew
the clash to be inevitable; if not to-
day, tomorrow. Avoid war! What
else have they lived for. what else pre-
pared for, what else have they .incul-
Gated in the mind Of youth than the
sureness of the conflict and the great
glory of offering themselves to this
Moloch in sacrifice?
No Power involved can cover up the
stain. 1t is indelible, the sin Of all Eu-
rope. 1t could have been prevented by
common agreement. There was no
wish to prevent it. MuDition manufac-
turers were not alone in urging the
race to destruction, physical and finan-.
cial. The leaders were for it. 1t was
policy. A boiling pot will boil. nur
tured seed will grow. There was no
escape from the avowed goal. A slow
drift to the inevitable, thunderbol
forged, the awful push toward the
vortex. What men and nations want
they get.
No intellect can conceive what this
word tragedy means. It is Columbus
overwhelmed at sea, Morse dead in
his youth, return from reason to the
gloom of prejudice. Men have dream
ed that education had led humanity
out of the wilderness; that culture, in
vention, industry had drawn the fangs
of war; that nations on the pinnacle
of achievement, which had looked
down on the rich valleys of peace,
would never plunge back into the
abyss. Humanity had been lifted up,
lit seemed. above the shallow passion
of brute force; had tasted lasting good,
prosperity, the competition of achieve
ment and progress, never to be shorli
again of the fair vision. But Europe
plunges down. The sight sickens and
terrifes.
America. in splendid isolat ton, re-
tains her balance. 1t is a house build
Ted upon rock. Our great experiment
founded on peace and liberty, still
holds the beacon. We stand to save
the world from slipping back, to DEM
onstrate to every people, with an en-
/ phasis before unknown, the greater
value of peace, of progress, of civiliza-
ton. It is great responsibility. As
the anchor of civilization we must not
fail. Ours is the great experiment in
human aspiration, the one field where
it has been given chance. Allegiance
to our fundamental principles, stead
fast adherence to the essentials, is our
duty tc the world
Perhaps it is better that the inevita-
BILE has come so soon. The burden of
preparation was beginning to stagger
Europe. There may emerge from the
whirlpool new dynasties, new methods,
new purposes. This may be the furn.
ace necessary to purge humanity of its
brutal perspective. The French revo-
luton gave an impulse to democracy
which it has never lost. This conflict
may teach men the folly of dying for
trade or saYarice But whatever it
does, whatever nation having taken up
the sword is ruined by it. the capital
and energy Of humanity, it is not too
much to hope, will become again mani
fest after the cataclysm. in advancing
national frontiers by the prestige Of
industrial achievement, until the place
of a nation on the map becomes abso
lutely subordinate to the place it occu-
MES in the unfit of humanity.