New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-10-23
What America Can Do Now

and won in 1862, Gettysburg in 1868. The
military decision Of the Civil War had been
foreshadowed by the campaign of 1864,
which brought no absolute victory, but re-
vealed to those whose eyes were not clouded
what was to come. And Antietam and
Gettysburg Of the Civil War correspond to
the Marine and Vcrdun Of The present
struggle.
Fifty-three years ago the North was
divided into two classes-those who, with
Lincoln, looked forward steadfastly to the
end, already in sight; who saw clearly that
there could be no peace without victory
and no settlement without decision on
the battlefield and that other class Of the
weak. the faint-hearted, the foolish, who
shrank from further battle sacrifice, who
proclaimed that the lines before Richmond
were impregnable, who continued to mag
nifty Southern resources and minimize
Northern strength. We have those of the
latter class with us to-day, as we have the
men of the type who stood with Lincoln
and fought the war.
In Europe the nations which have bat
tied through the long years to win this
war have grown weary. The supreme sac
&c \
is being demanded of Britain. Alone,
America has come upon the battlefield
fresh, her mighty strength still unused.
No battles like the Marine and Verdun,
like the Somme and Ypres, have carried
of the flower of our manhood. No weary
years of privation, of cold, of hunger,
have tried our spirit. We hold still to the
things that were in the minds and hearts
of those who resisted the German assault
three years ago, and there remains to us
physical and moral strength to achieve.
The hour has come in this war when
the American contribution may be deci-
sive. 1t is not contribution primarily of
money. We have given that. 1t is not
contribution of ships, of food and coal.
We are giving them. 1t is not even the
contribution of our soldiers. We have be-
gun to send them. Beyond all else the
great American contribution in this hour
of the war must be the contribution that
the world may rightfully demand of the
strong man and the strong nation whose
physical strength is yet mistaken and
whose moral force is yet unwearied.
To-day the German is seeking wherever
he may to put despair into the hearts of
those who have fought bravely and into the
hearts of those who have sent their sons
their brothers and their husbands to the
firing line. To-day the German, who
failed with his army and failed with his
submarine, is, in his last desperate often
sive, striving to succeed with his propa-
ganda and make the poisoned press do
what the poisoned gas failed to do. He is
seeking to snatch victory from defeat at
the close Of the darkest struggle in human
history and at the moment when civiliza-
ton has almost won its fight.
Henceforward there should come from
this country clear and unmistakable
voice Of confidence and determination.
There should be an instant and complete
refutation of every German whisper, of
every German propaganda utterance.
We are the reserves of civilization, and we
ere arriving upon the battlefield at the
decisive moment. Our reserves are suffi-
cient to win the battle if only they go for
ward expressing confidence and the de-
termination without which victory is i'm
possible.
1t is the duty Of every American citizen
at this time to put away all thought and
all discussion of peace. 1t is the duty Of
every American citizen at this time to
bend every effort and every energy 70
strengthen the cause Of the Allies on the
battlefield and to establish in the minds
of every man and woman in Europe the
conviction that the United States, expect
ing victory, has determined to fight until
that victory is achieved Napoleon used
TO talk about the courage of the small
hours of the night. The World War has
touched the edge of the day which should
mean victory. II will mean victory if we
in the United States can now display the
spirit Of France at the Marine and at Yer
dun and of Britain at the Somme and be-