Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-09-15
INTELLECTUAL ASPECTS OF
THE WAR

: drawing from Washington and was
told to turn out a piece Of metal in the
form described. A dozen or more other
factories, It seems, received dozen or
more other drawings with the same in
structions. The piece from each factory
BY itself was utterly worthless. 1t could
do no work. Even when the parts from
all the factories were at hand they were
only so much junk until the brain of
man Joined them together in their proper
order and out of the confusion brought
the Liberty Motor. A social organism is
not much different from a mechanical
one 1t is only by coordination of the
several elements and their union for one
general purpose that society becomes an
effective power in the promotion of civil
ization and the accomplishment of things
worth while for the whole race.
This has been called a war of indus
tries. 1t is in fact war OF intelligence.
Brute strength is of almost insignificant
Importance in the conflict. The direction
OF organization by the human brain the
coordination of all national forces for
one great purpose, the application of
science to warfare and mathematical eX-
actitude in the direction Of every military
function, including transport and supply,
are the factors that will decide the re-
suit. In addition, the spread of informa-
ton, the skill with which the purposes
guiding each set of belligerents are pre-
scented to the world, show the mind in
the arena of pure thought as overwhelm-
ingly more important than in any preced-
ing war.
Mr.. Wilson long ago emphasized the i'm.
portance of public opinion in determining
the result of the war, and he has reiter-
ated 1t again and again. While our armies
strike at the German heart, he himself
strikes always at the German brain, for
there is the very source and beginning
of the trouble. With Mr.. Wilson democ-
racy is a religion, as it is with most
and he obviously believes that
q recognition of it's fundamental value as
q theory of government can be argued
into the German consciousness, possibly
before it can be bored in with bayonets.
We. in reality, have two campaigns under
way. One of them is of necessity Moham-
medan for the sword is the requisite in |
Btrument of conversion. The other is |
crr,stian. because it is an appeal to the |
soul and brain of the enemy. The meth
DDS are not antagonistic. but represent |
and the other above.
It is worth recolecting that in the |
Darly days Of the war many statesmen
believed that the Kaiser had deliberately |
invited the cataclysm in order to avoid |
The flood of socialism and democracy at |
home. Certainly all signs pointed to a |
high development of socializatlon within
The Empire and militarism as a system |
was about to be definitely challenged. !
The war has not driven the democratic
Idea out Of Germany, although the edge
Of It has been dulled. A people so versed
In science as. the Germans and so scorn-
ful in general Of intellectual slavery are
certain eventually to reject a political
diet that is pure formula.
1t is. therefore, in two senses a war of
intelligence; first, because all the mill
tary operations are directed by scientific
Intelligence, and, secondly, because a
psychological termination Of the conflict
Is always possible; that is. termination
brought about by purely intellectual proc.
esses. When we hold democracy up 10
The world as a supreme objective we do
more than invite acceptance of a system
q government. We emphaaize it by
blowing what democracy has achieved
- this continent in the creation of
lEPnlth and prosperity. That is an an.
peal 70 the pocket. and an appeal OF that
phaxacter Is rarely disregarded.
l'f1 s---