The Washington herald., 1917-06-16

(Editcr's note-Francis GrieTsOn holds an e1-
cePtiOnal place IN the intellectual world. LIS
HtaIary and political works arc now in all the
leading libraries III Europe and America. He
writes about the present world crisis with Tar
seeing vision bringing into service his acquaint-
ance With European Statesmen. his experiences
at the courts Of Russia, Germany and Austria
and his wide knoWl dge Of literature and ant Of
the leading capitals Of the wotld.)
Shall America join a world cour,
for the enforcement OF peace?
II so, we must expect to be pulled
by international forces in front or
pushed by proletarian forces from
behind. No middle ground is possible.
To join a league to enforce universal
peace wou d mean that the war OF
independence was fought in Vsin'
tenance of the Union had not funda-
mental meaning, and that all the
States welded together might as well
be territories or islands. like Hawaii
or the Philippines.
The civil war was fought without
props and the Union Is being per.
served without cTutChes.
Among the nations OF the earth
America is unique. No other country,
not even England, has had a Similar
experience.
Geogra 3hically. politically. COM
To involve our liberties. our pos
sessions, and our privileges with the
untuturcd efforts Of any. European OF
Asiatic nation would he tantamount
social level and would cost US as
much as war and revolution within
our own borders.
Our prestige would be gone.
Wisdom is attained through knowl-
edge. But knowledge without expert
f1 rannnf
forget tie past without absolute ma
tional disintegration.
AS soon as a man takes his seat in
a company of people far beneath him
in political and worldly experience one
of two things is bound to happen-he
is forced to vote with them or they
vote against him. And this is what
would happen to America were she to
undertake to bind herself to league
to enforce peace.
The richest nation in the world
would be at the beck and call of the
poorest, the nation that has outgrown
the methods of tie kindergarten would
be calle.l on to return and teach the
alphabet of liberty to all sorts of
pupils. both white and yellow.
At this juncture in the history of
America every nerve should be strain
ed to the keeping of what has been
won, not only politically but COM
nIercially and socially.
To give up any privilege would mean
an entering wedge to foreign interests
and disrupting influences that would
mean, before long, a rending asunder
of everything staple in this country.
But the difficulty of establishing a
world league to enforce peace would
he greater than any ordeal nations like
the United States and England would
have to endure in working out their
own salvation.
A nation, like an Individual, should
know by rude experience what is best
for it. And for this reason we should
not hesitate a moment when it comes
to fixing upon a choice of ways. We
cannot back out without backing into
the broad. Pacific. We cannot tackle
Europe, but must await Europes de-
clarations. A stolid courage on our
own ground, supported by American
resources. is enough. But the longer
we hesitate the more complicated and
difficult world conditions will become.
This is now the one grave danger.
We must show positive reasons
for q determination to keep what
we have, and more good reasons for
wanting some things which we have
a right to have. The longer we put
OF the decisive word the more