The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1917-04-22

world has been making mighty efforts
toward mass salvation. There have
been societies for the propagation of !
this ana associations for the allevi- !
alton of that. when probably what has !
been most sorely needed has been an
emphasis upon the individual and the
training.
Now. it would seem that one OF the I
principal lessons of the present world
conflict Is that the efforts of the self
appointed Glasses" to uplift the
masses" as an entirety and at one
heave have met with but feeble re-
Spouse. We are discovering today that
in spite of universal intellectual trains
ing in Germany. in spite OF the uni.
versal PRONUNCIATION OF the artistic
spirit Of France. in spite Of the labors
OF the multitudinons societies for this
or that form Of advancement OF the
masses in England. the same old prim-
tive savagery. the same wild lust for
destruction. the same fendish ha-
tired. have burst forth as in the days
of the Babylonians and Cartha ginias
The same rapine. the same ruthless
and utterly unnecessary devastation
OF property, the same starvation OF
children and deportation of defence
less citizens now occur as IN the days
when the ancients left desolation In
their wake or carried off whole nation,
into slavery. Indeed, the condition is
now worse than In the olden days; for
to an equal indifference toward the
destruction OF human life modern Eu-
rope has added an unspeakable cum
ming. ingenuity and inventiveness that
only highly specialized training in
the most difficult scientific fields can
bestow.
Something Wrong.
In short. something has gone wrong
In the European educational theory
In that very form of intellectual train
ing that our American educators have
lauded for almost Il century we now
discover that some vital quality is alb
solutely lacking. What is IT. why
has this type of education failed to
give the individual, as well as the
masses. those elements considered
most essential in genuine civilization
frankness. openness OF purpose. re-
gard for the rights OF others. gentle
ness. absolutely fair play. and above
all others In Importance. mercy?
Does anyone deny that these are cs-
sentials to that state OF mind and that
attitude toward life known as civiliza-
ton? For civilization Is indeed pri-
marily state of mind. an attitude to-
ward lie. Telephones, electric lights,
wireless telegraphy. and similar de-
vices are indeed not essentials, but
simply convoniences to aid In hasten
ing our possession Of this state and
this attitude.
Environment Not Sufficient.
In the first place. have we not put
too much faith In the efficacy OF
merely esthetic environment In the at
tainment of civilization by the indi-
vidual' Through many decades Ger
many has provided for It's citizens
mems OF architecture, and certainly the
most glorious music man has ever
known. But have all these made the
German nation any more merciful. any
less greedy, any more nagnanimous,
any more moral. in short. any more
civilized? The French have long been
noted as the most artistic nation on
the globe; the commonwealth has sur
rounded it's citizens with the beauti-
ful. A man can scarcely step into the
streets of Paris without receiving i'm
mediately an appeal to his sense OF
symmetry. beauty and majesty. The
nation annually spends millions in
erecting noble buildings. buying stat
uary.' filling art galleries. maintaining
beautiful parks. and founding mstitu-
tons for training the mass II 70 dts
tinguish n pretty thing from an ugly
thing And yet today Frenchman
shoots down German as ruthlessly
as a man would shoot down a mad dog.
There are in Italy at this moment
natives who have n keener apprecia =
ton Of good picture than many a
10 called cultured American; but In
the hour of temptation will these ar
tistic foreigners do any less stealing
any less cheating. any less lying, any
less down right violence to property
and life than would any other set OF
people? There walk the streets OF
Rome this day men who can explain
with all accuracy and confidence the
merits and defects OF an artistic pro-
duction. men whose nerves tingle with
genuine "esthetic" delight in the pres,
ence of a painted masterpiece, and ye
In fit OF passion--or artistic TEN
perament--they would not hesitate t
stick a stiletto into ones back
Have We Advanced?
1t Is indeed becoming a serious Hues
tion whether in reality we have ad
vanced greatly on our distant ances
tors in the essentials of civilization
We have indeed put a cultural venee