New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-06-04


Us. Saving face the system oil
China. encourages throughout Celestial
society the general art Of correct de-
meanor. but it does not get things
done. Amid all the Injuries which we
eniov with you, Of freedom and party
conflict and the perpetuated discord OF
press and platform, public criticism
is our only means Of insuring that the
right things shall be done. Where
every citizen is chartered, despite the
censorship, in the liberty to criticise
almost anything. much of the railing
will. Of course, be misdirected, exag-
gerated. unjust, scandalous. 20 that
is only like the thick dust rosnd the
scaffolding Of the builders.
What America Would Do.
In all these respects it would be the
same with you in America if you we're
plunged, under similar conditions, into
a war of this magnitude, and if, like
US. against the settled war system Of
prodigious enemy. you had to tackle
the life and death tasks Of bringing
order out of chaos.
Colonel Roosevelt thinks that the
United States would do no better. Well,
with our example up to date before
you. we hope, in spite of all, you would
do it better II we ourselves had to
do it again we would do it much better
There is no doubt about that.
The Germans advertise their virtues.
The British advertise their vices. That
is the difference.
II is not a moral merit on the part
Of the British. Under democratic con-
ditions they cannot do anything else If
they wish TO amend the vices and en-
force public efficiency.
Yet are we to be driven to a worship
of the German system? Are we 20
give up our faith in the free institu-
tions wherein we have been bred
which have been the breath of our
being?
Those institutions throughout the
world, in these islands, In America, in
South Africa, at the antipodes, are the
basis of life for our common racial
stock and for the other European races
who have come in TO join our communl-
ties.
Preparedness All Important.
Are we 10 forfeit our birthright?
Not for a moment There is enough
in British experience 10 strengthen
every free mans faith in freedom, on
the one vital condition, perfectly at
tainable, that throughout the demo-
cratic nations of the English speaking
world the definite public duties OF citi-
zens are organized as unmistakably as
their rights are secured.
So long as any great free society may
be threatened in its existence by war
waged against II by any nation whose
main aim and effort, even beneath the
surface of profound peace, is to be pre-
pared for war. il is unthnkable hence
forth that any ablebodied male should
enter into the enjoyment OF the priv
ileges Of citizenship without being serl-
ously trained TO defend them. That
does not mean the German system. II
means the freedom in arms which
would be far greater than the German
system and would undoubtedly super
sede it throughout the world would
supersede it even in Germany itself.
The Why of the Miracle.
The British Empire has survived in
this war almost by a miracle. The
miracle has been wrought by a su-
preme exertion of those spontaneous
energies which freedom nourishes. But
unless such means were supplemented
henceforth BY the better cultivation,
under democracy, of fighting power as
well as voting power, we could not ex-
pect that miracle 20 be repeated. IL
has been touch and go.
In the immortal remark Of the Duke
Of Wellington 20 Mr.. Creevey after
at has been n damned nice
thing the nearest run thing YOU ever
saw in your life" How fortunate the
British Empire has been we can only
realize when we compare what has
happened with what might have hap
pened. and what the enemy thought
likely to happen.
The enemys expectations we're rea-
sonable. Our internal condition was
an increasing chaos such as the normal
domestic difficulties of the United
States and of other free countries un-
der the party system in no way re-
semble. We were ut our worst, and
that ancient stability Of our national
temper and Of our constitutional sys-
tenn which for ages. before the war
had compelled the worlds admiration.
seemed TO be rocking down at last TO
and ruin.
Campaign Waged in Vain.
The circumstances Of the Boer War
e