The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-03-07
AMERICAS ATTITUDE IN WAR GREAT
MISTAKE, THINKS MACMONNIES

bravery created at the touch of cold
steel"
And Americas attitude of neu-
trality. docs hat please you?"
Mr.. MacMonnies's gray eyes CLEAN
"minously He speaks in a tone in
which regret. astonishment and pa
triotism. with Its edge n bit frayed,
are evident. II is n tone heard fire.
~quently from many Americans in
France Of late.
America. TO my thinking, has
made two great mistakes In her his
tory" he says. "Onc was the civil
war. She has never recovered from
that. II was n war where brother
was pittod against br, Their. family
against family. where the flower of
Auglo-Saxou manhood was sacrificed,
the seed of hate own and terminated.
II Is not yet %uprooted.
And the second blundcr is It's pres
ent attitude.
Europe I n battle-ground where
every law of honor and decency has
been trampled In the mud by The Ger
mans We have had proof in plenty
NJ the wanton firing on Red Cross
hospitals. Of the trcachery shown to
the fag Of truce. of old men hung up
and burned. 81 children MANNED. of
women and girls treated in an un-
speakable manne and the American
people, that ideal republic. whose
watchword should he Justice. truth.
civilization have stood aside and said
This il not our war
He turns to the interviewer.
what Is your reading OF the mys-
terry? Is II mere selnshness' Is 1t
the poCkethook? Il 1t because Amer
ica is so far away she cannot grasp
things as they are? There is no act
ing on precedent. for there has been
no precedent established. II Is a time
when every man must act according
to his individual conviction, each ma
ton according to its soul.
We had our moment. the chance
To come be- ,~loricuSly with such "A pro-
'cst. backed by such a tremendous
fore" Of indignation that We must
idt, been heard. That moment has
passed. It looks now, II we come in.
tutt "" viii do So because we are
dragged .u. for commercial reasons.
We viii gain no prestige. We will
have stood FOR nothing fine or ideal
or great"
And DO YOU think this will he the
last war;"
Il suppose humanity in the throes
OF the struggle has always said. This
is the last Who dare predict u? But
I am convinced of on thing-that we
should afterward establish an inter-
national police which Will protect the
rights Of those who cannot protect
themselves"
What about the Hague conven-
tions?"
THE utility Of peace societies has
been shown. They don't go far
enough
.Tae words Of the Chinaman who
attended one OF the meetings at The
Hague. and said that he noticed that
the representatives of the nations
with the largest armies were listened
10 with the most respectful attention
when they spoke of peace. was re-
called to Mr.. Mac onnies's memory
and he smiled his assent.
Exactly"
Then the talk, completing the cir
Gle, gets back to the influence ot war
on art. where 1t started.
II believe 4 course" saws Mr.. Mac
Monies, that al art Will he better,
stronger, more vital for the war. Any
strong feeling that rouses people from
their apathy must accomplish this. |
am not a military man. | am a man
Of peace, but | love the qualities that
war produces, and as an artist | con-
coda that alway G IN. fp1ira of uar 80