The Pleasantville press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1912-1929, 1917-06-09

rising of the beast, the tiger in the
heart of man.
All this is true, we cannot deny it,
and yet-once more u eyes sweep
backward over the centuries and we
watch the outcome of these dreadful
hours. The roar and smoke of battle
ceases; the agonized cries of the suf-
fering die away; the walls of sorrow
and grief are stilled, and 10! the long,
line of mankind is seen marching for
ward over the corpses of their fallen
brothers, over the graves of their fall
an heroes and martyrs. Forward
Aye, there's the rub! thru just such
struggles civilization moves forward
in leaps. At just such awful cost, civ
ilization has ever purchased it's finest
possessions.
1t took a Reign of Terror to pur-
chase for the French nation a mere
fraction of the conditions expressed in
their famous slogan, Liberty, Equali-
ty, and Fraternity"
1t has taken war after war in many
lands to buy the difference between
the words despotism and democracy,
between the so-called "divine right of
kings" and a government "of the peo-
pie, by the people, for the people,"
Only by many a bloody battle did
the working-man at last obtain from
the upper classes the right to vote
and a share in the management of the
affairs of government.
Religious liberation has been pur-
chased by some of the bitterest, most
inhuman wars that the world has ever
experienced in all known history.
To sum up, security of life, liberty,
freedom from oppression, the right to
suffrage, religious toleration--in short,
it would be no exaggeration to say
that only thru wars have at last been
established all of the fundamental con-
ditions that make possible the higher
pursuits of man, the arts of peace.
Must we, then, forever expect these
periodical outbursts of brute force as
the necessary basis of human prog
ress? Far from it! We believe that
at this very moment the whole world
has greater reason to look forward to
a future international peace than it
has ever had in all its past history,
A wild dream, perhaps you are think
ing, a beautiful theory, nothing more
And not justified by fact or expert
ence. Just here we differ. We be-
lieve that it is supported by both fact
and experience. We believe that the
history of the race is the best possible
evidence in support of our theory.
Perhaps this can be shown most
easily by an illustration.
A child is born into the world. For
4 the first few years the health of the
little stranger is the utmost concern
to both parents. They are happy if
only the little body grows strong and
beautiful with no sign of disease OF
abnormal condition. There comes a
mind and soul. The boy must be
taught right from wrong; he must
learn to exercise self-control in all the
affairs of life; he must develop a
beautiful character as well as a heal
thy body. His soul must develop;
otherwise he remains but a fine heal
thy animal, nothing more. Happy are
the parents who watch the youth pass
into manhood filled with high ambi-
tions, fine ideals, and full of courage
and determination to do his work in
the world well. Such a product is the
finest result of civilization. A fine re-
suit, indeed-but seldom produced
without great effort: many hours OF
trial and even pain are written in the
past of that fine manly spirit in which
the parents take such pride. Many
boyish battles have been fought ere
he learned the lessons of self-control
and honor.
This, in brief, is the natural devel-
opment of every normal youth.
1t is a common place saying that
the race history is repeated in the in
dividual. The similarity is easily
pointed out.
The world in its infancy, in its prim.
tive state, is also concerned with its
physical welfare; the first tho't of al
races is the preservation of life; food
shelter, clothing,-these are the tota.
wants of the savage. Then there
comes a day when primitive man be.
gins to grope his way out of dark
ness. He learns that he can settle
his battles by other means than toma.
hawk and arrow. Long continued
feuds teach him that his w life is
safe only when he leaves his neigh.