New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-11-23
To the Editor Of The Tribune.

To the Editor Of The Tribune.
Sir: IL was my good fortune 20 be one
Of those who to-day heard that Incompatible
musician, Fritz Kreisler, play at Carnegie
Hall; and while listening 70 him | reflected
that he was an Austrian. And | recalled, too,
that charming and kindly Germsn-Prussian,
think. Professor Friedlander, whom knew
when he was lecturing at Harvard. Now
cannot hate Kresler and Friedlander no
matter how Teutonic they arc, no matter how
pro-Ally am myself 1t is true that no one
has yet been able to discover the slightest
connection between art and morals; and one
may have the highest respect and admiration
for artists while in considerable doubt about
his approval of them as citizens, though here
have no slightest desire TO reflect upon the
moral quality OF either Kreisler or Fried
lander.
But must We choose between art and
morals? One may shudder at the thought OF
a state dominated by artists and may feel
disposed TO say 70 them, as Plato said q
quote from memory; "You are sweet and
lovely and divine beings, but we cannot nave
YOU in our state One may equally shudder
at the thought Of state in which norallsts
held full sway, a sort of magnihed Shaker
dom. What one really wants is civilization,
that much despised thing which is still the
best that man has produced, and civilization
seems to be on the point OF disappearing. not
merely because of the Teutonic danger but
because In the ranks Of the Allies and their
sympathzers there is growing the feellng
that the danger comes wholly from one quar-
ter. Il comes rather, | think, from the wild
beast element in us ALL an element wnicn
can and does co-exist with the tenderest love
and the most magnificent powers for art and
statecraft.
In one of Gilbert and Sullvan's operettas
we find the lines:
When the enterprisng burglars not a-burglins'
When the cutthroat isn't 'ockyped in CRIME
He loves TO hear the little brook a-gurgling
And listen 70 the merry village chime
II was, like much of that nonsense, in
formed with profound philosophy. Men are
that way They are capable of the most
frightful brutality and of the tenderest kind
ness in the same individuals. 1t is the part
of civilization to cherish the kindness and
check the brutality everywhere. Within in
dividual states the task is fairly well accom-
plished. Although murders and assaults oc-
cur in all states, we go little in fear Of either
because they are so rare. There is power
of the state which keeps that ugliness for the
most part in the background. Though the
evil is not abolished, the greatest part is
good, and we can be happy with clear con-
science We go peacefully about our lives
because there is power representing all
lives which holds in check the few who would
ruthlessly destroy the peace of all.
1t is not yet so of states in their relations
to one another. That federation Of the world
Of which Tennyson wrote is the only thing
which conceivably can regulate the black
guard states or the states which occasionally
lose their tempers. There is no society OF
societies to enforce order. The League to
Enforce Peace has this for its ideal. This
ideal is not a chimera; it is possibility
well within reach Of the world in our own
generation, and the United States can, If it