Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-08-15
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aediy ldIal ISSUE would be that
science should be able to wreck civil
lization. which, being the combination
OF the religious. artistic. Industrial ac-
INVITES OF man. depends on variety
OF gifts contributed by all the peopies,
great and small. not OH the dom-
nance OF one. and that the least origT-
nal. though the best organized of all.
Here lies the true battle. Tho German
idea OF civilization is essentially that
OF it's great modern historian, Momm-
sen, who insisted that il demanded the
suppression Of races less capable OF.
or less advanced in, culture by nations
OF higher standing" This Is clear
proclamation Of AN age OF perpetual
wars. II tustihes the destruction OF
the weaker or more stagnant nations
by the stronger, or more rapidly de-
vclopinS ones. 1t would have made 1t
right for the England OF 1850 to- crush
the Germany OF that period. just as II
is the excuse of the proud self-sufticlent
German culture" OF to-day In regard
ing the backward. but infinitely prom
Using. Slav power as it's mortal enemy.
Such theory makeh each nation the
Judge OF it's own right to POSSESS the
earth. or rather TO dispossess the "un-
nt."'
Savage peoples merely disappear be.
fore il. Small tand therefore unsuc-
cessfuD nationali;ies must either bow
the knee or go under. We need not be
so uncrtical as to pretend that this
megalomania Is exclusively German.
1t Ia the sin OF nateriaiism, the heresy
OF an imperial age. forgetting Its Chris
rianity. and taking leap pnck 10 Ro-
man Caesaiism. There Is no ma stcr-
nation. There is no one KEY 10 ''cul.
ture. Each is the servant Of ALL and
association is tho one tue word for
European craftsmanship.
IT is for this reason that we urge
with all our force that. II we abandon
fttr Rrif n1l ia
Europe and ourselves Why should
we? The world is going our way. not
Germany's; it wants no, more force.
but more liberty, and IL will want more
and more OF IL after the war. Wars
do not exist for wars sake; they exist
for peace; and peace itself rests on
some stable settlement; OF national
Wills. In accordance with the new ideas
and the changing political habits Of
mankind Therefore. even IL Germany
were 10 win this war-which she cam
not-she would be beaten in the end
by the fact that her will was out Of
harmony with the growing world-w!ll
and the coming world order. And or
the other hand. the British ard French
and Russian and Italian boys who are
lighting and dying in the trenches. are
not mere nationals; they are soldiers
Of humanity. IL humanity. as we
moderans understand IL, is to have any
chance at all What would happen
to the armies writes q woman cor
respondent, "if a million women were
10 rush in between them Well. the
armies would at least be reminded that
half the world expects to live out It's
life on far other conditions that in the
year OF terrors that has passed and the
year OF terrorS that Is TO come EN-
haustion Will not In Itself produce this
change. for all the world Will not be-
exhausted, nor the rivalres Of young,
ambitious nationalities in Eastern Eu-
rore and of the empires that patrorize
them. IT is through Its faith that the
world can attain salvation: not throuEh
it's knowledge. which Is the knowledge
of death and evil. or through its power,
which will in faw months give place
to The weakness of a little child.
sHow far this theory OF the moral ire
by the Cologne Gazettes defense OF tho
holy duty" OF sinking the Lusitania. Here
lie civic Jesuitry raised TO the greatest dan
ger point for mankind: cit was necessity
that drove us to pursue the submarine war
fare. And for this reason we had to de-
stroy the Lusltania In order to save tho
lives OF thousands OF German soldiers. That
WAS our holy duty, We base that deed on
the claims OF the higher humanity which is
tho foundation of every national life What
our opinion. and in the higher sense. hu-
manity. Also In the Christian sense every
man must obey the authority which God has
placed over him. National self-respect de-
mands that state shall not lay aside Its
holy duties. even IL their fulnliment seems
to involve harshness and cruelty. Would
that the Americans could grasp this concep-
ton OF humanity"