The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1915-08-14
Professor Giddings' Resume Of the Great War
and the Real Crisis 1t Has Forced on Us
"Pacciss LegGts Mohs deEs Decide Whether They
Peace Who Rode Home In the Peace Collector
Who Brought the Tiger Home in a Cage o the Zoo"

tacuiar results 20 a wrong cause. Might u rot
be. they argued. that Il was the steam engine.
the substitution OF machinery for hand labor
and the higher organization of industrial
processes. and not the impotence OF govern
ment. that produced prosperity? The world
turned a deaf TO such heresy.
IL has taken the British and the American
mind little longer Ito be explicit. about ak
months longer to Apprehend that their reason.
ing In this matter was wrong than II took them
70 see that their belief that all going well
In a Christian world was untounded. Slowly
and in bitterness OF spirit they are now perceiV.
Ing that. while they have gone their way OF
self-satisfaction. IN Germany the thing that
couldn't has occurred" giant Industrial na
lion has entered the arena authoritatively gov
erned. knowing nothing OF iaisser fare. calmly
contemptuous OF the philosophy that that gov
eminent is best which governs least. and won
dering what kind OF humans they are who
teach that private enterprises are. as a matter
or course. handled In a more business-like way
than state affairs. And this authoritative IN.
dustrial state is saying TO its indyidualistic
neighbors. We can put you and your Snug
philosophers out OF business and we will"
When this bald and brutal fact has taken
full possession OF the British and tbs American
consciousness, as II will. and has become a
working hypothesis. as It WILL what reactions
may we look for? Two certainly. and per-
haps a third.
Those men who dislike and distrust de-
mocracy. and in their secret hearts believe
that monarchies are on the whole better work
ing institutions than caucuses, will work with
greater energy than they have yet put into
their political life for the Capitalization OF gov.
eminent and the practical control OF anairs
by privileged class. In England they can
use the monarchy for their purposes. In the
United States they will consciously try TO
create the political and Industrial society
which the socialist Client has described as
our benevolent feudaism," an organization
combining efficiency with nominal respon.
sibility OF government to the people.
Opposed TO these men will be a slowly grow
ing party that will see in State or parliament
tary socialism the only possibility OF combin.
ing efficiency and democracy. They will pro-
claim that the German social organization is A
practical demonstration OF the invincible
power OF a state in which the government and
the individual are brought into practical work
ing relations. Socialistic writer's for a genera
ton. they will remind US. have been preach.
ing the wastefulness and the inadequacy OF an
individualistic industry. With a self-sats-
faction. perhaps pardOnabIe under the circum.
stances, they will from time 20 time refer 10
what Germany has accomplished. and say. I'VE
told you SO" The evil in the German state.
they Will argue. does not lie in the comprehen.
sive activity of government but IN monarch.
zeal sbsolutism. Substitute democratic for
monarehical control, and we shall have the CO
| operative commonwealth. the most rational.
the most efficient form OF human society yet
conceived. a society under which men should
find opportunity and happiness IL these are in.
deed within human attainment
A third possibility has been mentioned
I Monarchical socialism OF the German type and
democratic socialism. not yet tried out are
not theoretically or actually the only forms OF
organized society in which the functions OF
government have adequate recognition. and
a rational plan supersedes a wasteful indt
viduaiism.
, The true measure OF efficiency in society. "a
Z In material mechanism. is the amount OF work
. done in proportion to the mass OF appliances
q nat u, a good engine which. in proportion to
: us weight and its bulk. develops more horse.
power than engine bigger and heavier II
. viii probably not be disputed that Franc in
' proportion TO her population and her wealth,
. has shown herse, to be. all In all a better
; working machine than Germany There have
9 been an elegance. a precision. an economy in
all her efforts that have called forth the ad.
miratiOn OF onlookers, as the artistic excel.
J. lence OF her manufactures. her books her
: plays, her modes. has called Il forth In the
h years Of peace. And these results France has
u achieved through the spontaneous co-operat on
Q Of the individual with society and OF both In.
o dividu and society with the government
e which has no perfect parallel elsewhere
. Franco mas. In fact practically solved. IN a
! high degree. the problem OF obtaining from
democracy the working efficiency that Ger
many obtains by authority.
J. Why, then, may not this be the way out for
?. every nation? Why speak Of this plan az a
= possibility only and take for granted an i'm
= pending struggle between classes and massesi
= Why, at all events. should not England and M,
2 United States study French methods and
y emulate French achievements rather Than give
y themselves over In the name OF efficiency 10 a
y or 90 democratic socialism u Il can win out
The answer Is short and simple. The French
. scheme of social organization and functonini
"A calls Tor iutellcct-lnteilect everywhere. moi
"A only IN tho Academy. IN the university I'm IN,
- laboratory. but also ln the Senate Chamber Ii
n the Chamber ~ Deputies. IN the business
I office. in the labor syndicate IN the shop or
~ the farm. And ~ calls Tor 70 in a certain
4, peculiar way which Americans generally d,
- not understand % calls for intellect as come
al thing admired, houored. socially recognized
NJ ns something which offers Co the humbIss
citizen both opportunity and distinction ii
In France the admiration 81 intellect ia universal
M America has intellect abundantly but Americi
~ does not ns yet admire. rccogulxo and homo
al Intellect in the French way. beyond all thing
- else. America adrfrcs business rucross and
Ia next 90 that political adroitnese. These ad
mIratious make directly FOR a business con
ri. troll or political control 81 tho entire aocia
"a fabric. The French F0CialzCd state IL no
IA workable by n population ln which adroltnes
e. and success are supremely admired They ar
"a. workable only ~ a population in which N
MI rewards of admiration and respect 10 apor
Ia tancousiy Co intellect as such.
.v Russia. rather than England or tho Unite
~ states. may De expected one day to evolve
ca civilization of essentially the French type mi
ire the future OF Russia whatever her fate in thl
no war. does not Ne iu the tomorrow. % lies O
pc. the dlvs after the fo.morrows.
D. ~ S--- Z.