South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1915-05-26
THEY THINK, THEN CHANGE.

THEY THINK, THEN CHANGE.
Until a change takes place in the
hearts and purposes Of nations. the
only World Court that will always be
needed Will hold its assizes on the field
Of battle.-tNew York World.
That change is progressing.
For centuries. kings have been the
nations. The national heart and pur-
pose have been those OF a few men
born in a few palaces rather than Of
millions OF men born in millions OF
cottages.
That fraud. divinity Of kings"
through which the body and soul Of
the masses have been enslaved and
outraged. is most worn out. and all
over the earth the people are begin
ming TO feel that their own heart and
purpose are the heart and purpose Of
their nation.
Nations are people. collectively. not
individuals. specifically. Revolutions
are mostly revolts of the people-the
heart and soul OF nations--against the
people. Serfs are responsible for
tyrants. kings, and spurious divinity"
and this people all over the world are
seeing. It took Louis XVI. and his
predecessors, and Napoleon 1. mon
archy. Imperialism. "llnited mon
archy." and constitutional mon
archy" to educate the French, but
they now know.
Great Britain, a near-democracy;
Portugal with a fugitive king; Italy
ready 10 make war in spite of divine
right OF her king; Turkey with con-
stitutional sultan, as il were; France,
Switzerland. even China. republics;
all the western half Of the earth re-
publican, the peoples, the heart of
the nations and theirs the national
purposes. What vast changes. And
what a small period of time in the
making,
In the exigencies Of the war the
car. controlling liquor as we'll as life
by divine right" suppresses national
inebrity. IL makes better soldiers.
But this is not all It makes better
thinkers. The animal that does not
think will draw your loads. bear your
burdens, stand your abuse The ami
NAL that thinks will surely ask you.
Why?
The militarists of Germany are not
only fighting for preservation Of Ger
many but also for preservation OF
militarism-themselv win or
lose millions Of stricken mothers are
going TO ask. Why?
What have been the final conse-
quences OF wars? Progress, higher
civilization and christianity-liber
equality. fraternity. May we not hope
from this greatest of all wars the
greatest OF all results-national hearts
that beat for all other nations, ma
tional purposes that consider the good
of all men. .assizes presided over by
arbiters who would save rather than
slaughter?
In a lul in the carnage. a German
soldier leaves his trench. meets a
French soldier and exchanges tobacco. /
drink and civilities. Do YOU suppose
that. when back in tacir trenches. I
those two men. between whose lives, /
families and purposes there is only a
line on the maps, do not ask why
they are trying TO kill each other?
Is 1t not a question that will thunder
from all civilized parts of the world?
Are not the huge piles of corpses OF
EurOpe's youngest and best, are not
ali the unprecedented horrors of this
war demonstrating the superlative
folly of war TO all men?
Greed? The few those who lord
it over you through accident of birth. /
alone profit by il.
Patriotism? 1t is TO Kill your
brother. or 10 die.
To think is to feel that. under /.
Gods plan OF creation and Christ's /
direction. all men are brothers. Ma /
tons may be stirred to thinking 10y
IRE and sword