The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-02-27
WAR ECHOES

Chicago Herald: The American citizens of German and Irish extraction who are forming an organization for the pur- pose of influencing the selection of presidential nominees. and more special ly of opposing the renomination of Presi- dent Wilson, really ought to look ahead a little.
 This war isn't going to last always. It may end much sooner than anybody ex- poets It won't be long until all the ex- citement engendered by the present con fict and incidentally, most of the reputa- tions gained by contributing to it, will be- come part and parcel of the past.
 Then when the clouds have rolled away and everything has resumed its normal course, how will these gentlemen feel as opponents of the principle that the selec- tion of a President of the United States. or of any other public official. for that matter ought to be largely influenced by international considerations?
 How will they look, as sponsors for an organization got together on the theory that the attitude of the national admin istration to this or that foreign gov ernment is primary consideration-com- pared with which all our domestic issues and interests must pale into insignif- canoe?
 Just at present. when imaginations are little overloaded, 1t is perhaps natural fQ gentlemen of fervid sentiments to im- agine that there is great call for such an organization, and that, even after the present excitement is over, it may sur vive as an effective political instrument. But they are wrong.
 They ought to consider carefully the chance that the plan which today seems sublime will tomorrow look very foolish.
 Elk Mayor Mcclellan, in Seribner's: If you do not wish, sooner or later, to reckon with the alternative of either liv- ing shamefully or dying gloriously, we must be prepared to defend ourselves and fight for our national honor singie-hand- ed, for we can expect no assistance from realize that whatever nations may say in their hours of stress, in their hearts none of them like us. All fear us and Gre jealous of us, for they know that we are the nation of the future. There will be no general disarmament after this war. for, while financial necessity may cause great reduction in the size of ornaments. the armies and navies that survive will be more than sufficient to account for ours, as at present consti- tuted.
 For the sincere and honest nonresister we should have nothing but respect. We may not approve of his doctrines, but we can at least admire the consistency of the man, who. believing war to be the greatest of evils, advocates peace at any price. But most of our people are in no sense nonresisters and have the most profound belief in the greatness and the might of our country. Yet, while they urge the ex- pansion of American industry and com merce, and in it's support advocate a spirited foreign policy, they are unwilling to make the necessary sacrifices to insure our. countrys future. They believe that because we have never been obliged to fight serious foreign war there is a specia, Providence watching over us to protect us from our mistakes. Trusting to this special Providence, we have nego- tiated a series of treaties with foreign powers in which it is agreed that, in case of any dispute arising between the con- tracting parties, neither shall resort to armes until after the expiration of year. sort of political moratorium is pro- vided which finder the millennium might be very effective, but which under exist ing conditions Is hardly practical