New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-09-01
FROM BERLIN TO BAGDAD'
A Communication Which, to Con-
found the Author, Is Printed
with Thanks.

To the Editor of The Tribune
Sir: II restraint is a sign OF culture you
may attribute to me a goodly measure of that
much debated quality, for | have until now
refrained from commenting on your edito'
rails in spite of the many provocations which
they have furnished me. | do not believe in
condemning where | cannot at the same time
commend However, your editorial sheet Of
to-day, both sides of it, stands unique among
recent issues of The Tribune, both for its i'm
personality of tone and its sweep of histori-
cal Imagination.
From Berlin to Bagdad" comes closer TO
complete comprehension of the underlying
causes of the war than anything which have
seen from the pen of New York editor, not
excepting Mr.. Ridder To be sure, the sub
stance of this article has long been stock
knowledge to a limited number of thinking
people, people whose powers of discrimIna-
ton are not destroyed by the reiteration of
such clap-trap phrases as German frightful-
ness" america first" "the Belgian atroci-
ties" English international philanthro-
pism," ETC. Those who rest their judgments
upon the broad facts of history (among Eng
lishmen, notably Hilaire Belize, Bertrand
Russell. G. Bernard Shaw G. Loves Dickin-
SOM rather than upon isolated theatrical by
plays have not failed, from the very begin
ming. to note the real trend of the war.
The early march OF the English up the
Euphrates Valley toward Bagdad, while not
conspicuous event, was of tremendous signih-
canoe to those who discriminate between the
apparent and the real The facts about the
Bagdad Railway which you now present,
seemingly for the first time, have long been
known to the Germans themselves. One of
the first things which my father told me
when he returned from Germany last Sep
TENDER was that this very railway had created
more friction between the English and the
/ Germans than any other factor or group
| of factors. In spite of its lack or
esoteric originality, your own article Will
/ have a deserved novelty and greatness IN the
eyes of the large majority Of people. You
cannot advance the cause of universal well
/ fare in any better way than by similar at
tempts to promote universal intelligence; and
you can promote universal intelligence much
more quickly by presenting historical facts
than by transcribing the emotional paroxysms
into which they sometimes send you.
The same friendly criticism applies to the
other side of this remarkable sheet. The first
editorial presents the true genius Of the Ger
/
which has thus far come to my notice. To be
sure. the substance of the article is not origi-
nal, for it consists almost entirely of quota
tions. However, the interlsrded comments
are quite original, and the editor is to be
highly admired for the unqualified admira-
tion which he shows for another mans ex-
PLANTATION of German militarsm. especially as
h the explanation Is almost Numerically OPP
posed TO the theory so vehemently advanced
/ by The Tribune and most of its contempt
raries. | sincerely hope that the editorial
was not due 70 an oversight, or to the uneen-
sored ambition Of some youthful but philo-
sophica member of your staff. Ii is almost
| too dispassionate 10 have emanated from the
eloquent pen of him who usually ornaments
/ that particular space.
"Byrans Reward" is a gem. Not even the
somewhat labored wit of your famed rival
has approached this fragrant distllation Of a
thousand epithets. An ounce of such light
fingered irony is worth a ton of vituperation.
The greater pity, therefore, that its heels
should be trodden by the coarse spite of the
last line of "A Royal Request" Really, Mr.,
Editor, it was not worthy. The hope persists
that this is the element of strangeness which
must mar all perfection, and yet
German Air Raids" is a very clever at
tempt to analyze one Of the most profound
traits in the German character. The editor
sees in the "childlike imagination" of the
German people the sign of an inherent weak
ness and the prophecy Of an ultimate failure.
To me, if my dissenting voice may be par
doned, this is the most hopeful sign in the
German nation. That such forescent roman
ticism should walk hand in hand with such
deadly efficiency Il must use. the word to
bring out the eontrast), that the genius Of a