Omaha daily bee., 1915-02-26
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OF The Bee: Your letter box contain.
numerous articles OF undoubted merit
and while that department Of your o.
teemed paper shows In a lucid manner
the popular feeling on many subjects IT
must be noticed that in regard TO the
great war. the matter is very seldom dis
cussed In an impartial way, the pro-Ger-
man articles being signed bv practically
only Teutonic names. while those in re.
buttal are nearly always from peopla
bearing names suggestive Of English OK
traction, or from nations allied to this
side
rms Is remarkable illustration of the
freedom OF speech i'm our country
whereby We may express our opinion
without fear of molestation in the shane
oil line or prison from a government we
nave established and supported BY our
ballots. And while discussions based on
racial consideration and qualities should
be strictly avoided, tending to aggravate
rather than conciliate people of different
origin, the only regulation we have in
our country, bearing on this subject, is
a mild Invitation from our president ex-
pressed in terms of extreme moderation.
to refrain from such discussions and to
remain neutral in action and. perhaps in
thought.
Contrast this with the laws and pun
ishments that are the rule in some Euro
pean monarchies concerning "Iese ma
jeste," where servile officers Of an al
mighty king or emperor are so many
spies bouncing on the unfortunate who
may inadvertently drop a remark not ell
together respectful TO his said majesty.
mr. IN h. eeN.
The question now squarely before is is.
whether such democratic forms Of gov
eminent as exist in the United States.
France. Switzerland and England are an
Improvement a step forward. a progress
sive achievement over the old monarchic
idea. or whether we are laboring under
a delusion and should fall back to the
prevailing ideas of government that OBJ
tanned previous to the middle of the eigh-
teenth century Under a different form
OF government, should we PROFOUND tho
question thus:
Shall we strive for Individual liberty,
happiness, for a condition where our time
may be employed for the benefit of hu.
manity in general, and the adornment OF
our minds in particular, in other words,
for the cultivation OF the arts of peace?
Or shall we take the other course and
confound ourselves in a body so
thoroughly organized that the supreme
end in view shall be material efficiency.
where our every act and thought shall he
devoted TO the state, so that from our
feverish activity, resources may be pro
vided for our divinely appointed lords. TO
carry on an extension to all lands OF this
philosophy Of force? Shall we exchange
ourselves by work in time of peace, and
lose our lives afterward In war, to kill
our weaker brothers. so that some king
or emperor may go down in history as
the glorious conqueror OF nations not so
we'll organized?
This is the real question now involved
in this great conflict, and the futile dis
cussions as to who began the war, the
assassination of a prince or two. are only
details of the whole scheme whereby the
assassination of millions is sought to he
justified by the assassination of two in
dividuals, effete scions of the result of
cross-breeding which we do not tolerate
In our horses, our cattle, or hogs.
And whereas, in democracies the leader
of the nation is chosen by a system OF
selection calculated TO secure the bright
est mind and the most practical; in
monarchies there is a careful system OF
allying cousin TO cousin, whose parents
were already related by numerous al
liances before. so that from this system
a ruler is born and divinely supplied with
all the qualities necessary to rule
system which we know results in de-
fectives in mind and body, a system
against which legislation is directed in
all civilized countries in so far as 1t
would apply to the people.
But. as unnatural as this may seen,
the harm would not be great If, as in
Great Britain. this offspring Of closely
related parents, is merely figure-head'
who harmonzes the transition OF the old
system into the more practical and mod"
ern new method of conducting the at
fairs of a nation, until such time as II
may be deemed best 20 dispense with the
nominal heal altogether. as the United
States and France have done in direct
and radical way.
The present war is the result Of the
existence of abnormal conditions in one
monarchy, where. in form only there is
constitutional restraint Of the monarch,
who, in this case, happens to possess
some qualities, and who. on that ae-
count, has been able to dictate the policy
OF his empire.
As these qualities are OF the nature to
flatter national van'ties. the crown of
sychophants always surrounding throne
has made the case worse, and there Is no
wonder of the assumption by leader and
subjects. of the title Of the God chosen
instrument of the chosen people
But let us not throw our tnvectiVe
against the Germans, they are, in spite
of this tremendous mistake, great
people. and will live to realize their error
They have been led and educated from
infancy by the nobility and the church.
who. in order to retain their influence
and privileges, have Inculcated into the
minds Of the people the idea of danger
from attack by foreign nations, and this
has resulted in solidarity and strength.
which. coupled with their scientific
achievements, their patience for work
and intelligence, has resulted in unheard
Of rapidity In advancement In all branches
but one: politics, in which they are 200
wears behind the times. II is very un-
fortunate that nothing short of this ire
mendous shock should be necessary to
wake them from that political lethargy.