South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1916-03-23
WITH OTHER EDITORS
THAN OURS

philadelphia Press.)

One Of the most remarkable ap-
peals in this war-remarkable first
because Of its intrinsic nature. and
secondarily because of it's author
was read in Liverpool the other day.
1t came from the pen of Vice Ad-
miral David Beatty, whose wife is an
American, and who is the youngest
naval commander engaged in a high
official position by any of the Euro
pean belligerents. Vice Admiral
Beatty's squadron recently defeated
German fleet in the North sea.
In this appeal Admiral Beatty
prays that England shall be led into
a religious renaissance similar to
that which has developed in France.
The sea dog does not visualize the
cataclysm merely as the wanton
slaughter of millions, blood-drunk-
en- orgy. He discerns a turning point
in the materialism of the world, "a
point where nations and men have
come face to face with either a reac-
tiOnary trend back to Christian
ideals and deeper religious fervOr,
or the overthrowing of the present
scepticism regarding matters of re-
ligion and the downfall Of pure ma
terialism among thinkers and peo-
pies and rulers.
The naval commander cites
Frances return to the church; the
republics fundamentals restored in
religion and her atheistic dogmas
spurned and thrown aside for those
ideals that were cherished before
agnostic socialism supplanted the
deep-rOoted churchly sentiment of
the people Admiral Beatty dis
cusses Russia's relief from the thral-
dom of vodka, and the impressive
manner in which the Slavic peoples
have gone back to religious beliefs
that were not always manifested in
the on rush of modernism among the
empires greatest thinkers.
This British admiral, who evil
IDENTIFY is a man of deepest devotion
TO religious impressions, declares
that Britain alone is struggling along
| complacently and forgetting TO draw
closer to the teachings of the church.
He appeals for the United Kingdom
to view this war as a Christening in
| fluence to bring the people back
again to the trail of religion. in or
der that the monarchy may be
guided Alright by Divine Providence.
He asserts, too, that Britain must
pray as well as fight, and peace will
come sooner through prayer than
through cannon. His nation. Ad-
miral Beatty declares, must humble
herself before the Throne Of Omni-
F. potence and cease believing that in
her own self-satisfaction can she
wrest victory from her enemies.
1t should be strange. too. that this
war in which man has returned ap-
/ parently TO his primitive emotions
and elemental actions. should deveI-
/ OBJ into one Of the greatest religious
/ renaissance that the history Of
/ Christianity records. Admiral Beat
| tvs significant appeal comes all the
| stronger. as naval men are supposed
TO be comprised Of blood and iron.
with little time for porting over those
I emotional studies that find an outlet
\ in religion. Coming from a warrior
4 Of the Beatty type. this statement
\ comes 10 the people of all nations
+ fraught with deepest significance.
and is well worth considerable
/ thought by those neutrals whose
I thoughts perhaps may be swinging
/ toward modernism and materialism
4 as q substitute for Christian brother
hood and religious satisfaction.