The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-12-11

0VtSCto Oppe0r60 w III.
paper, "L'Homme EncAatne" t"The Mos
E~"chotmed"), Of Parts, November IS.
The approaching nuptiais Of President
Wilson will have not softened his heart.
for he has Just been picking q quarrel
with the Allies over the blockade of
Germany. This excellent professor Of
law possesses exceptional qualifications
for building massive monuments Of
judicial remembrance, whose weight
must surely crush his adversaries. Long
ago. and for long periods at a time. he
bombarded Germany with tor Of juris-
prudence In tho hope Of getting that
empire to act In a civilized way on the
high seas. He desired that American
travellers Of every ase and sex should
cross the sea without being exposed, as
ehc Lusitania passengers were. to find
ing themselves scientifically drowned by
the attentions Of the submarine civilixers
Of his Majesty william ii.
Even at that time II was evident that
the American President felt a peculiar
regard for the high minded sovereign
who In Belgium and elsewhere had taken
liberties with certain texts Of interna-
tlonal law. Mr.. Wilson was ever tender
OF the kaiser's feelings. perhaps because
the toga car never forget that 1t u but
a feeble rag OF cloth. except when II is
followed by the lictor with his X and his
rods. perhaps because Mr.. Wilson's de-
sire for n European peace. Mt which he
fanc!ed he was to act as h grand
arbiter. made him wish to conciliate the
greatest peace d.sturber of the planet,
who was just then trying TO subdue the
earth to his own good will and pleasure.
Pope and PRECEDENT.
1t IL impossible to say At this moment
what turn In events may make peace
proceedings desirable, for the Allies are
more unwill. ng han ever to . j forms
unless they are sure Of having the last
word. But I think I may permit myself
TO make one remark, namely. that what
ever happens. there are two eminent
~personages who will take no part In the
Congress-Benedict XIV. and President
Wilson. Tho, reason Is that these two
priests OF human ~. n of whom stand
out as the supreme authority (that
which directly from a divine
source, and the other OF whom repre-
sents h greatest doctrine of human
liberty. have simultaneously shown h
most extraordinary capacity Of deceiv-
ing themselves and others with a tumble
Of words which they cast a. a veil over
certain living .deas-ideas In whose de-
fence men Of another mettle are daily
sacrificing life. property and all that
they hold dear.
The lesson which this Pope and this
President teach will not soon be for
gotten. because Il comes 10 US from the
two opposite poles Of history. From II
sya tAo~n skAA skn ,.A.h.-~ 81 A--a.l~>
is a sorry Joke as contrasted with the
indestructible realities OF human life.
The unhappy a h has wisely taken
refuge In silence could never understand
that his title OF Pope brought with II the
imperative duty Of acting as a supreme
magistrate. raised above all other au-
thorities. In settling the quarrels Of hui
manity.
The greater the quarrel, the greater
and deeper the disS ent. the greater would
be the peril for that serene Judge who
hould base his decisions solely on those
eternal Ideas toward which men aspire,
though they reach them only In specu-
lation, and the more noble wou!d be the
function Of the peacemaker who should
take upon himself in the midst OF eternal
earthly agitatlons to fx the points OF
which all human creatures should
strive to concur.
POntiH's Authority.
To do this requires nothing but the
courage of opinion. and that kind OF
courage was just what Pope Benedict
XIV, did not find at his hand. In Ordea
to be elected Pope by the conclave OF
Cardinals In which the Paraclete takes
up It's residence for the time being one
must fulfl many various and sometimes
contradictory conditions. Votes are
counted and verified as at n village cleo.
ton. Suddenly the canop is removed
from zach Cardinals chair. for during
the balloting these canopies have sym
bolized the Temporary paititioning OF ar
sion of red robes moving toward a single
throne by virtue OF certain marks made
upon What the German Chancellor only
too truly calls scraps OF paper"
Then follow genuhections and adora,
tons and kissings OF the foot till thu
new Pope. IL he has m human sensa,
tions left at all. Un hardly escape III,
sensation Of finding himself rendered su
p%erhuinan through some invisible force
Skullcaps and white vestments mus
ever be symbols Of something super.
human, and that something Is Just the
thing which II Is easier to express ir
symbols than to translate into conduct
Gregory VII, Boniface VIII. Julius II
were men OF action on the papal throne
not only because they were men Of re
markable natural force but because tn,
spirit Of the age furnished them the full
crum on which to rest the lever o
Archimedes. The fulcrum has vanishe,
with their times, and the lever without IL,
fulcrum has become no more than ,
wand OF impotence. even though IN,
heart and hand had kept their frmnes
throughout the centuries.
Presidents Position.
Now to make the climax Of this mis-
cry both heart and hand have becom
pals!ed, and the poor Pope. who Is Gale,
the Pope Of the Church. Is found want
ing AZ toward his Church. unable to tel
her where divine Justice resides. He |
inspired indeed. but inspired by consld
erations which 0utclass even those O
the indefatigable NJ Poincare.
Meanwhile In a far continent to whic'
in bygone years The Pilgrims turne,
their steps to found a society based O
the principle that the law should ema
nate from the many instead of from
single human being arises the chief O
the many elected according to the sam
procedure Az tho pontin was electe
(but that u great many more smal
scraps OF paper were required). Thi
leader OF the people. who has mysteri
ously received from the people (throug
the careful counting and adding up o
preJudices) that magic power and virtu
which lift him above his fock. and In
deed above humanity at large, find
| himself also unable TO act his mart Ia