The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-09-06

whole world think. Those who mock at peace will point to this war conclusive evidence that peace is fanatical dream ana immeas- urably far off. The reverse is true, however, for the war now i'll progress supplies the strongest argument in favor of peace. It com pels men to think of the unspeakable folly of nations which, in all of their best interests. should not be foes but friends and fellow mem bers of great brotherhood Yet we find them armed to the teeth by the system, to slay each other.
 Further, the war must make the world think of the onerous and needless losses that are inflicted not only on the participants, but on other nations as well, who are not even re- motely involved. And all who are not blinded by interest or prejudice must recognize the self-eyident truth that rivalry in armament Is constant provocation toswar, loss and suffer ing; that the control of huge fighting ma chine by ambitious or selfish power is a constant peril to humanity, and to the whole worlds peace and progress
 Thought is the mother of action. There Is strong reason to hope that the cumbrous, costly and wicked system of armaments now prevail ing and which has made the present war pos sible, may at no distant day, in obedience to the demand of civilization, become thing of the past. It will not be relinquished without struggle, but it is a struggle worth making Russia, the principal aggressor in the present conflict, will not readily give up her dream of Balkan territory and a sea front on the Medi terranean; Austria, France, Germany and Eng land will cling to their old ideals. But world sentiment VIII triumph In the enQ Let the friends of peace take courage
 THE sTAKE-cIviLIzATiON.
 The Independent, August 17.
 IN the face of indubitable facts of history, how crass is the contention of those writers who say that the genius for political organization which has created the states of modern Europe is unique quality of the Teu- tonic mind Western civilization, including Its political organization, its law, it's literature art and science, is creation, as the civiliza- tions of Greece and of Rome were creations, of that fortuitous blend of Mediterranean and Celtic, Danubian and Baltic stocks which has been most perfectly achieved in France and the Netherlands, Great Britain and the United States
 i It is then accident, it is the necessary consequence of thousands of years of history that these peoples and no others have mas tered the problem of the democratic imperium. 1ney alone have seen how to combine political coneslon with popular sovereignty and individ- ual liberty. Greece grappled with this problem put she was too small and weak and too soon overwhelmed. Rome broadened the founda Ilons or practical experiment by developing law and administration On these foundations that democratic civilization which is the hope of mankind to-day is built
 This civilization is this hour in peril It is the stake, the real stake, the only real stake In the awful game of war that is being played
 Ihls IS the answer to those writers and apologists who would have us believe that England has done monstrous thing has been traitor to her own race, has raised fratri- cidal hand in casting her lot with France against the militaristc absolutsm of the Ger man Government. Whether such writers are ignorant, or intend to deceive, is of little con- sequence. The thing they say, the thing they write, is not true.
 For the German people Americans have only admiration and respect, and no nation on earth will extend to them reader good will and more generous cooperation than America shall, when the day comes for them to set about the task of building republican civilization