New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-06-29
The Day of Deliverance.

justly and reasonably believe TO be ou-
deliverance from the German nightmare
which for two years by violence in action
and for generation by violence in threat
has laid a Stranging hand on the throat
Of civilization.
Looking out upon the battle fronts from
where must come our deliverance our
release from the blacklist peril that has
menaced US since the Spanish Inquisition
marched with equal step with the Spanish
infantry. it is patent that Europe is at
last beginning to shake off the German
domination. In the east Russia has
struck the first great blow. In the south
Italian armies are advancing In France
Verdun still holds and the armies of Brit
ain are preparing to deliver the heavy
blow, so long and eagerly awaited.
1t is doubtful if any moment in the last
century, perhaps in many centuries, has
been so critical in human history. 1t is.
soon to be settled, let US pray, forever,
that violence, brutality, material efficiency
accompanied by spiritual obliquity cannot
prevail in our Twentieth Century. 1t isl
soon to be demonstrated that no prepare
ton in destruction, no ruthlessness in
action, no application of the gospel Of
terribleness joined to the religion Of me-
chanical perfection can chain the minds
Of men, can reduce the world to a slavery
in which mems bodies grow fat hut their
souls languish.
We know now to the very bottom what
the German idea and ideal mean. We
have seen them applied in Belgium and
France. We Americans have stood be-
side the graves of our own murdered
women and children, who escaped Pru5-
sian lust but not German terribleness.
All mankind beyond the confines Of the
German Empire and those Of the Austrian
ally have taken full measure of what Ger
man purpose means and in many tongues
and many languages German will be an
adjective Of ignominy for years to come.
The armies of revolutionary France, Of
Napoleonic France, when they overlooked
into Europe carried with them the gospel
Of liberty, Of fraternity, of equality.
Wherever they passed they left behind
them a heritage Of progress and when
they had vanished new and better
Europe emerged and has endured. After
the French Revolution human slavery N
the political sense was doomed in Europe.
But after the German armies have
passed what has been left? Only ruins.
Was there a thing beautiful, sacred, dear
TO France or Belgium, dear to the world
for its artistic value, dear to the village
that owned it, for parochial reasons? 1t
has been ruined, defled. Wherever Ger
man armies have passed there has been
harvest of dishonor for women, shameful
death for children and old men and utter
destruction for the inanimate things Of
beauty.
For forty years Germany dreamed 10
dominate Europe, and for two years she
has striven TO realize her dream. Mill
ions Of men have died, millions of women
and children wander in exile over the face
of the world. Human suffering and mis-
cry such as the world has not known in
centuries have replaced peace, happiness,
the orderly life of civilized countries
To realize her dream Germany has muir
dered Belgium, laid waste Northern
France. crushed Serbia and sent her army
corps from the Dwna to the Marne. All
that violence treachery, deceit, corruP-
ton could accomplish have been accom-
pished All that the gospel of terrible
ness could avail has been realized over
half the European continent.
And yet it has not worked after all,
this German thing. Men have not been
terrified nations have not been broken.
Out Of all their sufferings the spirits of
men emerge calm, determined, unsubdued.
The conquest of the spirit has not been
had and the body, responding 10 the
spirit, has remained indomitable, in Bel
GUM, in Serbia, IN France, in Russia, in
Britain.
Already those who boasted that the
next war would be for world power or
downfall" are whimpering for "victorl
Gus peace" in the market places Of the
world and interrupting their bulletins Of
victory 10 utter denunciations of he
enemy who, conquered will not yield and,
DESTROYED, still prepares TO advance.
Those who come hereafter will have a
better measure Of the grandeur and the
horror of these two years through which
we have lived, They will see clearly what
has been hidden in part from us and they
will realize as we cannot how much Cor
mankind has been won by the defeat Of
the German assault upon all our civillza-
ton and all our humanity.
1t has not paid, this German doctrine
this Teutonic dream. II has not paid, as