New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-07-04
By z. d. MOrel

K~VFRE have been occasions in the life OF
nooples when the national soul, Devil
dered and stricken, has bene saved by
single individual possessing in HIM
ss,f the combination of qualities which enabled
~, 20 adopt q clear and definite line OF con-
5,ct and to give to his fellow-countrymen al
.be psychological moment just that inspiration
o,d that lead required by the circumstances
There has never been, until to-day, an oc-
,asion when the international soul, laboring
4, agony. cried out for man to succor It,
Prt that situation has now arisen, and IN
Tho two hemispheres there is one man. and
,rlv one man, who, by his character ana
through the great position he enjoys, can save
the soul of the peoples and OF the governments
Of Europe.
That man is President Wilson.
To THIS GO THE BEST OF US.
write to the sound Of the measured tramp
II armed men. The confused clamor rising
from, the streets is shattered by the roll OF
l,,,us The martial setting cannot obllter-
.-e the haunting melancholy conveyed by the
sbr;Il vbistljng Of the flies. 1t permeates the
e.rsbire even. and robs it of its balm For
the message Of the flies is the piercing nom
ace 70 Death Death is in the very ar we
breathe. we Europeans Its outstre'cHeu
wings heat against the mansion Of the rlch ana
tho cottage of the lowly. Death on land ana
IN tbesea. Death emerging, mpacable and SIN
,s4er from the bowels of the deep Death falling
swift and relentless from the blue vault OIL
heaven. Death in all the hideous and revolving
forms with which modern man and modern
science have equipped it.
Presently these strong, clean-limbed young
fellows. the flower of our people, the hope OF
our future. who a moment ago swung past 10
the sound of the flies, will be burrowlng IN the
Ground ike rodents. slaughtering and beng
slaughtered: covered with vermin; the tester
ing bodies Of days-dead men at their feet IN
front Of them. behind Them huddled in shape
less masses. grotesquely stretching rigid limbs
skyward. The foul smell Of burnt ana oe-
composing flesh will be in their nostrils by
dav and by night. Flies in myriads Will be SET
ting about Them pumping putridity INTO thelr
undressed wounds They will be foul ana mao
with the blood-lust; their bodies repulsive to
them. their nerves shattered by the everlast-
ing roar of the hurting shells; their souls
blunted and Scared
Thus in hundred cities of Europe to-day
Tramp tramp, tramp. The march OF ue"'h
10 the sound Of the fife and drum, IN the gen
ial sunshine of declining May. Thus, too IN
the far-fung battle lines. Millions of men who
had no quarrel until their rulers invented one
ryin, like brute-beasts, acting like brute
beaste. fv-blown, verminous, sinking with
uncleansed wounds; physically, mentally NOR
allv thrown back thousand years In the
plains and valleys, on the mountain slopes
,nultitudes of corpses uncovered by the stop
maze If the floods and the melting OF the
SHOWS fiji the air with the germs OF disease
And that other army grows and grows-the
army of the widows and the orphans; the army
Of the bcreft and destitute, Of the broken
hearted of those for whom life hencetortn IS
but a vale Of tears.
And still the rulers will not speak
The war has lasted ten months. IL Is
roughly committed that three and half mil
lion nen-the pick of European manhood
have been killed outright and as many more
permanently disabled. II cannot be SAID thaV
any one Of the beigerent states is nearer tne
accomplishment of the professed aims OF It's
rulers when they entered the war; as the OUT
come Of this unprecedented human holocaust
and the colossal wastage of economic re-
sources which has accompanied it. But Oh
far greater importance is the question: what
are the various belligerent States fighting for
NOW?" What vital issue to the peoples con-
cerned could not NOW be secured by nego-
tiation?
And that is what no government will state
in explicit and authoritative terms. NO gov
eminent will do so lest, if it did, its enemies
would imagine that the national interests 1t
supposedly represents would suffer THE
enemy would conclude that we were weaken
ing" is the parrot cry in every capital. NO