New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-01-30
Women of Warning Nations
Have Adopted the Mems
Point Of View, Forget
ting the Ultimate Cost.

A leading statesman Is said 20 have re-
marked TO a delegate 10 the International
Peace Congress Of Women. You women arc
able to start peace talk; we cannot" There
is not q single man, however, who has had the
courage 70 light the fuse to the heaped-up
explosives, who has had the power or the cour-
agc TO break with the traditional thinking
which secs as the purpose OF the war the ami
hilation OF the enemy. Although the judgment
OF the world even among the fighting nations,
has unanimously condemned secret diplomatic
negotiations, still the purposes Of the war and
the conditions OF peace continue 20 DC hidden
behind vague expressions as the nations stand
trembling before the prospect Of another year
of war which every one in every country clam
ors must be won. Yet all are silent as TO what
victory shall ultimately demand in millions Of
lie and gold.
Since the sei-stuDehcation OF men has not
disappeared after this whole year OF war, shall
not the women OF the battling countries, who
do not have the weight Of politics hampering
their freedom OF action. dare openly and
frankly 70 appear in public? Shall they not as
the children in Andersen's fairy tale about the
Emperor's new clothes eXcain that the war
which vas bedecked with beautiful national
phrases is in reality naked and an ungar-
nshed crime against the people themselves,
against the nations themselves and through
them against future mankind. Tor whom it is
demanded that the people who are now willing
20 bleed each other to death shall leave the
fight with a conserved life force?
The women in the neutral countries have
uttered their prayers for peace; small groups
oi women III the warning countries have been
yilihed as unpatriotc because they have done
he same. But still no signs are visible that
the majority OF the women in the warning ma
tons are prone 20 begin a concerted action
against the war. The hopes for peace which
surely each day sprias from the hearts Of mill
ions OF women do not make themselves heard
Indeed, the majority Of women have COM
pletcly made the point Of view OF the man
their own, and are willing 20 continue the war
TO a glorious victory'-although the longer
war is continued the more impossible Will the
realization OF the victory OF the kind expected
become, and the greater the certainty that, ~
case such victory should be won, u WILL bee
attained with such immeasUrab.e material and
spiritual losses that no fruit OF victory can
balance II.
Only when all Of the women OF the citing
nations begin to comprehend this, when they
resolve to use the means in their power, since
their political responsibility prevents them
from demanding peace boldly, then at last viii
the men awake from the hypnosis caused By
Inc war. Then perhaps will the leading and
governing men comprehend that that which
has been concealed from the worldly wise has
long been revealed 10 the women perceylng
through their emotons-namely, that the only
way to restore Europe is an immediate and
noble peace. one that is made in the same spirit
as the peace activity of the international WON
en- and which has inspired also majority Of
other associations 70 ask for a permanent
peace.
In spite Of everything a white ray Of hope
is still shining over the red fare Of the world
conlagration This hope is that after the
worlds conhagration there shall come 20 pass
thai which is told in the myth OF the Horns
about the Last Day. After which there shall
arise new earth, with beautiful vegetation,
where in the eternal green will be redscovered
the golden tablets which were lost in the be-
ginning OF time and where the holy runes Of
antiquity shall again be inscribed. Then per
haps will the hearts Of women again expand
to the song sung by the Norns at the cradle
OF each newborn woman that she is born 20
be mother in twofold sense, and that the
most holy purpose of her motherhood is that
out of the child embryo, from which the race
springs, humanity shall develop.