Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-09-01
A NEW SOLDIERS
VIEW OF PARADE
Not Like the Triumphs of Re-
turning Victors-"Our Tri-
umph Is That We Go"

| To the Editor of the Evening Ledger:
Sir-The thousands Of young men who
march through the city streets today are
| following a ritual which is as old as CIV
iiization But there is this distinction be-
tween ancient triumphs and modern Amer
! lean parades. AS much emphasis is placed
today on the departure of the troops as
on their return. But in ancient times it
was chiefly the return, the triumph that
counted
There is still another distinction about
ouch a parade as today's expressive Of
the whole difference between the way
America has gone to war and the manner
Of Europe's plunge into belligerency.
There, in fact, there was little chance for
dramatic professional leavc-taldngs. In
every country troops were rushed to the
frontier, often secretly. 1t was all ques-
ton of grim necessity. But here there has
rever been in the last three years any gen.
oral feeling that our soil was threatened.
There was no grim, physical necessity in
the sense that Europeans understood these
words in August, 1914, when i, was ques-
ton of fighting at once or VI abandoning
ones country to the enemy. In brief,
Europe's young men had to fight. principle
or no principle but Americas, with no spur
of immediate danger choose to fight with
nothing under the sun to goad them on but
the sense Of the principle of right
Therefore our triumphal procession comes
frst-before we go-rather than when we
return. Our triumph is that we go, not
that we shall return with glory. I'VE seek
no material advantage Of any kind"
Think of the origin of that word "tri-
umph," and how different its meaning in
America today than in the Rome that cried
40 triumphe !" The parade in honor of
the general who was granted "triumphus"
would be a sad spectacle to our eyes
Captlves walked in chains beside the tri-
umphal car of the commander returning
from the field of victory When the pro-
cession reached the foot of the Capitoline
some of the captive chiefs were put to
death. 1t was always the feal or the glory
Of war that men felt and the triumph was
also a hope that there would still be more
wars to come. More and still more wars,
and never a war for permanent peace until
this late day! And 1t was always the goad
Of fear or the lust for glory that drove men
t. battle until now, Is it any wonder we
have so many determined pacifists? For
every materialist who does rot happen to
care for martial glory and VINO can see that
the Germans are too far away to break his
precious skin Is naturally a pacifist A ma
terialst cannot understand why men should
want to fight for a principle
1t is a marvel to me thai there are not
many more pacifists considering the fact
that so many Of us are mater ialists
Was there ever such a choice as that
which Wilson had to make? He had to put
himself into the heart of the average
American young man and calculate lust
when the moment should come when that
average man should be ready TO say, Now.
at last, 1t is better to risk death than To
hug peace" Multiply that average man bv
two or three million, and then think of the
responsibility of saying for another man.
II will give my life" But time has proved
that the tragic choice which was forced
upon him was rightly met. Sir Edward
Grey, in commenting on the British Cab-
NETS deliberations as to whether or NOT
they should enter the war, said I'VE had a
terrible four days" But no one member ~
that Cabinet was supremely responsib,e
Wilson was alone responsible Lincoln was
OF alone in casting the die foi war: he was
elected on a "no-compromise" platform,
But Wilson had no mandate from any con.
temporary. His only guide was the history
OF his country.
Now we see. In the spirit of such parade.
ss that OF today. that he las heard ths
soics or America speak clearly 70 him fro.,
l,otWeon n IIuea az our cotnpJsx hisfoS~
pIl ~ ~ - 3a1gs6 rightly whsS ic :