Scranton Wochenblatt. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1865-1918, 1917-11-22
clusion and which implies a will

equivocally repudiated. But this
is not the whole story, The let
tiers Of our correspondents sug-
gest a criticism of the conduct
of the war which assumes the
need and value Of implacable
American resistance to German
aggression, but which questions
the means which are being adop-
ted to make that resistance eft.
fective. They raise Ia doubt
whether the American govern
ment is adapting its domestic
policy to the need of securing
the kind of support from popular
opinion which is required for
the success of its diplomatic
campaign against the German
government and for the fulfill
ment of its ultimate purposes in
entering the war. That cam
paign consists essentially in Our
attempt to capitalize the moral
superiority of the cause OF the
Allies, to assist military with po-
litical issue of the war in such
a way as to impair German NOR
ale by undermining the defense
psychology of the German
people and at the same time to
give increasing endurance and
integrity to the morale of the
enemies of Germany. But a ma
ton which uses political weap-
ons must conform in its own be-
havior to the spirit of its policy.
Its people must cooperate with
its government in offering to the
German people the olive branch
as we'll as the sword, and this
the American nation is not do
ing and is not being encouraged
to do by its own government.
A diplomacy which depends upon
combination of coercion and
Cancellation is being sustained
by a war propaganda which is
exclusively vindictive and coer-
Give in spirit and method. This
propaganda is already compro-
missing the success of the Presi-
dents attempt to impair German
morale, and unless it is checked
its effect on the morale of this
country is likely to be no less
deplorable.
From the editorials which ap-
pear in the enormous majority
of American newspapers, from
the speeches which are being
made by majority of American
patriotic orators, no one could
possibly infer that the American
government officially entertain
ed policy except that of de-
cisive military victory, which
was to be obtained at any cost
and which would be used for the
purpose of chastising and humil-
iating the German people. Few
newspapers and none of the
speakers so much as refer to the
Presidents alternative of peace
of reconciliation or greet with
the slightest encouragement the
efforts which are now being
made by the liberal parties in
Germany to defeat the aggress-
i've designs of their own govern
ment. On the contrary the de-
testable practice of CHASING the
whole German nation together
as assassins und Huns seems to
be coming into favor. Stump
speakers sent out by defense So
cieties are evoking in the name
of American patriotism the most
malignant and venomous pass
ions of their audiences, not only
against the whole German ma
ton, but against everyone in
this country who disagrees with
their attitude and who does not
share their own rancor and in
tolerance. Temporarily the pro-
paganda of patriotism has been
divorced from every feeling and
idea which last spring recon-
ciled so many pacifically minded
Americans to participation in
the war.
How is it possible to pretend
that a war conducted in such a
spirit can make for enduring
peace? 1t is this headstrong and
vindictive state of mind, this
easy confusion of blind pugnac-
ity with the sense of absolute
righteousness which has been
and always will be the most
fruitful mother of wars. AS a
matter. of fact the people who
are now laboring to infect Amer
ican public opinion with their
own virulence always have been
and still are the enemies rather
than the friends of lasting peace.
| 'Tbay uvara doino their hest to