TaÌˆgliche Omaha tribuÌˆne. [volume] (Omaha, Nebr.) 1912-1926, 1916-05-12

Your aQQfes3 On AhS OH~.
Americans in the Present Wa"
reminds we very strangely OF an
incident Of my college days. A
certain respected professor OF philo-
SONNY was put to the test In the
following manner. A neighbor built
a house on an adjoining lot IN such
s position as to share with him a
glimpse Of a beautiful lake, thereby
partially ~obstructing his view OF the
State House. Forgetting all the nne
PHILOSOPHY he had been teaching. he
ordered a tight board fence to be
constructed, high enough to- com
pletely shut of his new neighbors
view Of the lake. The students re-
garded this practical application OK
PHILOSOPHY with establishment at first,
then with amusement and finally in a
Hspirit of gentle hazing," a group OF
them one night painted this admonf
tIon from his own teachings on the
spite-fence to the great amusement
OF the public:
'Do unto others as you would haYe
them do unto you"
You have been for many years a
respected teacher and writer OF
PHILOSOPHY. A great tragic war has
broken out among the hnsmen OF
the American people in Europe,
aetting your kinsmen against my
kinsmen In deadly combat. Another
philosopher Is put to the test and
with what result. You abandon the
prjncfples Of sane thinking that you
have so ably champloned and descend
to the level Of the curbstone orator
melting the mob to war. Not
content to conhne your efforts to
your friends and neighbors In Boston,
8 thrust your fremont Temple
speech ringing with toryism, into my
home and the homes OF thousands
whom you do not know and do not
understand any better than you com-
prehend the war Itself.
With your personal one-sided view
of the great European tragedy, with
your personal assessment OF the
degree Of guilt against the several
governments involved, | am not con-
cerned at all, SO long as your views
remain mere private views. But !
am concerned when you deliberately
Get on foot, as you and your as
sociates publicly declare that you
DO. a movement to involve our COM
mon country In the most Infamous
war In human history. In effect You
ask me to assist your kinsmen
dwelling ia the British Empire, to
murder. MAIN and utterly crush the
children OF my OWN fathers and
mothers brothers and sisters and
their countrymen. dwelling In Ger
many. Ercireled by IN iron ring
Of nations in arms, 1t is plain what
my kinsmen are fighting for. They
are fighting heroicaliy to keep out
invaders whose leaders. since exposed
ana ~dIscredfted, openly boasted
twenty years ago: IF Germany were
extinguished tomorrow. the day after
tomorrow there Is not an English
man IN the world who would not be
richer. Nations have fought for years
over a city or a right OF succession
Must they not fight for two hundred
million pounds Of commerce.
You revive that exploded shan
about Belgium. invented to decorate
the recruiting posters, TO misleaf
q nation into war, denounced NOR
than a year ago by Professor F. q
Conybeare of Oxford in these burning
words: "All Grey's answers to Kiei
Hardie on August q tabout Ger
many's proposal to respect BelgiaI
neutrality are thus a model OF hare
wing Naturally the House OF Com
mons. having been utterly hood
winked by him, applauded. Present..
they will send him 10 the gaslows
I doubt il even Asquith knew OF thiI