Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-05-13

came into dispute between the Govern
ments of Germany and the United States
clearly were justciable in the sense that
these Governments might be expected
cordially to welcome the dsnterested
help of a court OF justice in settling ques
tions that they, in all good faith, could
not settle unaided.
Taking this position, though it involved
the immediate resignation of his Secre-
tary of State, President Israels vigorous
ly asserted in dispatch after dispatch to
Berlin that the only necessity for war
that could arise would be as the Govern
ments of Germany and the United States
permitted themselves to be carried away
by unthinking popular clamor.
With the able assistance OF the German
Ambassador, to whom all praise Is due
for his tactfu course throughout, the
President undoubtedly made deep i'm
preston on the German Government from
the start, and there is reason to believe
that the war clouds could have been dis
PEELED in short order, If the President
only could have induced Berlin to stand
firm in refraining from war preparations.
But, as every one knows. when there
came from our press and public that tre-
mendous explosion of wrath over the
killing of our sailors, and this explosion,
as was to be expected, set off all the pow
der magazines In Germany. the Berlin
Government yielded to the uproar. and
with all its splendid efficiency set about
organizing offensive and defensive fleets,
mobiizing its troops and withdrawing
the great liners for service as trans
ports.
When the news reached the President
in the White House that Germany ac-
tually had started to prepare for war,
God only knows how he found the cour-
age to make the decision that he did; and
/ conceive that I here use the name of
God in something more than a rhetDrical
sense; for. queer as IL may seem to at
tribute such a proceeding to a politician,
/ have reason to believe that the hours
following the receipt of this news which
the President spent locked up in his
chamber were hours spent in fasting and
prayer I saw him go up to his chamber.
and when he came out. he came directly
to me; and whereas he had gone up with
the most distressful countenance 1 ever
saw on a human being. he reappeared
with the sweetest look ever saw on the
face OF man or woman. And this is how
he announced his decision, there In the
Executive once:
"Mr Mcintosh" he said. after a long
silence, have you ever reflected on the
evidences We And in this world that.
all the ages. an intellectual force
has been at work fashioning man TO be as
he is?-how, despite innumerable chances
OF accident. man has been safely brought
succession of tens OF thousands
OF species ranging over a period Of mil
lions of years?"
Not being prepared for such questions
as these, / murmured something more or
less incoherent in reply.
why. Shaler tells US" went on the
that II 1t were possible to re-
call TO life all the different creatures of
old through which We have come TO be
what we are, and these creatures, which
presume would range from a piece OF
animate Jelly to the perfected form of the
ape, could be made to pass in review be-
fore us at the speed of marching army
OF men, II might take a thousand
years or more for the end OF the
procession to reach us, Understand, please.
that this procession would consist
Of only one representative OF each
of the species concerned, so that
each animal in the procession would rep
resent a different or distinct stage OF our
progress upward And think! II the ami
mails OF any one OF these species had
Jailed to struggle on against the OBJ
stacles In their environments in obedience
10 an inner force the nature OF which
hey could not comprehend, their failure
would have prevented the DEVELOPMENT OF
The species that succeeded them, and
here never would nave been such a
creature as man.
When" added the President, ''I reflect
Ipon the Being under Whose control this
sublime drama has proceeded, I must
reverence HIM and, reverenclng Him.
must seek TO align myself with His pur-
poses and take pains 10 ascertain how
,est / may serve Him"
said. II think understand you"
III.
With what speed ran the wheels Of the
history mill during the next four weeks
Even now that nightmare OF Whirling
vents makes my head dizzy.
Following promptly upon that all-nlght |
iession OF the Cabinet came the resigna- |
ions OF the Secretary OF War ana the |
'ecretary Of the Navy. / am told tnat. |
through that long night, the President |
at there saying over and over again, |
Gentlemen, ] am very sorry. but can
lot permit the country to be armed" II |
may venture to approach an indiscre-
ION. may add that. along toward morn- |
ng, two members OF the Cabinet arose Ia 4