New-York tribune., 1917-07-11

gates fresh from the Dloooy Ne "A
the busy mills, men who have oiea alu
sweated in a war which was not OF 'he"
will or their making, these men are ue"iA"
ING an early, general and democra''e peEc
I-rge our government to state concretely ~
,,nor what terms il is willing to make peace.
Tho frs. session of the Peoples Council OF
America will be held August 4, on the ami
rsrssrv Of the commencement Of this oloody'
futile war" J.. .bo
Now this councils proposed appeal 70 ,he
.;,izensbin of the United States, 20 "foiio"
the lead"-by which it was assumed 'na'
Russia. taking away all governmental powers
should be continued in state OF anarchy
assumes the desrability of sympathetic
anarchy here As fact, the hope OF hussis
lies in q speedy control of it and such an eN-
nression of organic life as is necessary 70
prosecute the great war against imperialism
Our "masses" are not likely TO be patient
with such an appeal, committed as they are
70 the cause of their government, whose
terms of peace again disingenuously de-
manded by DR.. Jordan's group, have been
stated. restated and re-restated.
Obstacles to Free Speech
An aggravating responsibility Tor resent
ment. verbal and actual, would be taken py
those who should follow Mr.. Bertrand kus-
sells demand, which he was permitted 10
make in the current Atlantic" TO chaAehge
tho position of the loyal people who deny
that mo obstacle should be placed in the way
If thought and its expression"-in wartlmes
on unreasonable and unreasonable proposl-
+ion. The exceptions OF war are proofs OF
the General rule. Its reaction is the inevlta-
ble overthrow, for the moment. OF the gen
oral nrinciples of democracy; the War LORD
wicked will has perforce awaited the prog
ress of civilization. Nothing would SUIT the
Kaiser better than the successful preach-
ment throughout the world Of those doctrines
which would cause the overthrow OF govern
nent among the nations and the resultant
inchoate. helpless condition. Naked, like. the
crab that has cast his she'll, the one hungry
gaping NAV is ready TO gobble every such
rnorsel. Germany's hope, the worlds fear,
counts upon that defenceless. unresisting
position in which the Peoples Peace Council
and its propaganda would place US Democ-
racy as We are, the nations spirit has been
so developed that it will be not only futile,
but an occasion of resentment.
The "intellectuals" like Mr.. Walter Lipp-
mann and the New Republic" quidnuncs dis
cuss causations and remedials in world poll
tics in a manner which is aggravating, since
they tend TO prevent concentration on the
simple task before us-to conquer-a condi-
ton precedent and essential to all rebuild
ing Our motto is that of old Massachu-
setts, enough for the day: "Ense petit placi-
dam sub libertate quietam.' The driver Is on
the Job. Don't speak to him! The theorist
must be content to be confused and per-
picked" Without splitting hairs as to the
how or why, we are servants of our own
servant our own choice urselves-and
must therefore be most Loyalty and blindly
obedient and will be more likely to resent
the attacks of all who take the hazardous
course of thwarting or hindering Demos in
arms.
Gloatng Over Pain
Another responsibility for some likely
resentment is chargeable to a kind Of
lurid picture now appearing on the printed
page and in the cinema. The films have been
svowedly employed to scare away recruits
for the military service by ghastly repre-
sentations of the terrible incidents of the
battle ground and the hospital. The "At-
lantic" has here again been a grave offender
in giving currency in the July number to
"The Place of a Skull" To what good end
is minute description of the agones of
wounds, the pains of death and the desola
ton of bereavement? Here gloating
pen, reveling in appalling realism for its
own sake. As we'll devote a gift of express
sion to the details of the suffering inciden-
tai, in spite Of anasthetics, to disease or
surgical operations, or in articulo mortis. If,
as we believe, the German Emperors banal
power must be by force overthrown, and that
this overthrow is bounden duty, it is for
such heroic spirits as Hankey and Brooke
TO tell the tale of the faith which looks be-
yond the awful price which must be paid for
the victory which is our faith Those who
do not know or who deprecate the purgation
of suffering which seems divine law for
the redemption of individuals and of nations,
and minimize or deny the value of it in the
worlds present distress must indeed be
charged with the great responsibility of in
citing a bitter resentment from those who
love and honor the devotion of their "boys,
brothers, sweethearts and husbands -crusa-
ders. knights of the Grail, in reverence be il
spoken-saviors of mankind! Against them
and their high service offences may come, bu.
"woe be to the man by whom the offence
comethi"
Ipswich, Mass, July 8, 1917.