Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-04-01
Primitive and Human Elements in Present Crisis Reviewed by
Pro-Aly, Born in France, Who Warns America Against
Indefinitely Prolonging the Chaos Of WoId-War

'"H oHoul Uydiy " ue OoVeinLheH III One SSuea IN Rnne It's Nh6f EN-
ecutiye in the back in the next 1t is their right to do this. in a free con-
try. Let them define patriotism lin terms of the Jungle law. Let them de-
nounce as a coward every man who stands for purely defensive measures
against Germany and who sees a higher patriotism than that OF avenging
the wrongs, brutal and barbarous as they are, done to us by a nation
whose Government is controlled by a psychology of miitarisn and fear.
Let the newspapers say what they want. Let them call for the suppress
sion of free opinion. Let them demand the degradation of the American
citizen into an American subject. Let them exalt our Roots, Roosevehs
and Organs into apostles of democracy: Let them ut Prussia Prussia.
1t does not alter the situation-the situation that every citizen with love
and pride for his country must now face.
America has a duty higher than that Of maintaining its national rights
and privileges. L It's not a duty Of selfconscious example Or of hypocriu-
cal moral aoofness-God knows u commercial profits in the war have
taken from us all right to preach-but one of humble and practical service,
a duty to stay out of the war and to bring the contestants to some under
standing, impossible as this may now SEEM. For it is clear that under
present conditions, they cannot come to a understanding bv themselves.
Itleft alone, they must go on destroying each other, and the destruction in
the coming year will be fraught with more horror, not only to the COM
batants, but o those at home, than at any time before. The most appaI-
ing realities of the war have hardly yet begun. If the a goes on an
dren in the starving nations, to Poland, Belgium, to the prisoners in tn
camps Of Germany; Austria and Russa-yes, and in France and Engla
tend along the eastern and western fronts.
Much has happened since the President last tried to bring the benige,-
fallen Short of success, and the Russian revolution has shaken the conf
dence of the Hohenzollern dynasty. In England, o the other hand, the
Ee "a du: and pon nfdenn IN t p new = e neTf uu Gah Gppt is q e sPlmg f nte R q
groups of beIigerents look forward with intense dimay to the gigantic
slaughter, suffering and money loss, which the coming months have in
about a conference and stop the war. If we go to war, we sacrifice this
opportunity and with it Europes hope Of peace.
We are not at war. We need not be at war. For the sake of things
greater than Our national honor, things that America cannot ignore and
d dt Of Of do;ne mr. ~ D nat II; ne hating mHiap the e. most a awful incident Gimt Of q 1 the VvITs
history-ofc coming to the aid Of and emancipatng the millions of men and
women, whom their own Governments have plunged into fathonless dis
aster and enslaved, perhaps had to enlave, for the purpose of destroying
each other-this country should now dedicate itself. 1t is such a call to
every man with real patriotism, with real courage, and with real human
iy as at no time in Our history has ever been sounded.
Today, as in every similar crisis, the calm opinion Of. the nation is n
fortunately drowned by the voices of warshouters. The center of the
stage is held by fear mongers, accredited servants of privilege, and well
meaning, but unmeaning, enthusiasts. They are playing upon the fears
of the public. They are trying to persuade our people that the country IS
in imminent danger; they say democracy all over the world is menaced
by German mnitarsm, and that the only way to save democracy is for
us to join the Allies in crushing this mlitarsm.
With all due respect to the many sincere men who have Joined them
selves to he doHar natriotS and undesirable citizens who see in te war
scare a unique chance to cothe themselves in the hab1iments OF patriot
ism without undue expense, the idea that miHtarism in the n hundred
and twenty million people of the Central Powers can be destroyed by a
decisive victory is childish. Mltansm is something deeper than the pos
session of armies and navies. 1t is a psychological condition that can only
be destroyed from within by the democratic impulses of the people them
selves. France destroyer German miitarism from the outside in 1900;
that was not the end, but the beginning Of real German mlitarism. Ger
many "desuoyed' French miltaism from the outside in 1871; and this
was only the beginning of modern French mlitarsm. Fight this war out
toa fnih-to a dictated peace" leave the Central Powers with an indy
ing grudge against their conquerors, and you have sown the seed or a
period of intrigue, international alliance, and miitarism, that will bear
fruit in Our chidrens time, in another disaster perhaps more terrible than
the present war.
President Wilson was right when he said that the secure organization
of the world depended upon peace without victory" He was right when
he asked the country to pursue a policy of armed neutrality, and not war
against Germany. He has been right in choosing the higher bravery OF
patience and the harder paths of peace. Let u be thankful for what
Woodrow Wilson has done. Let US thank God that he has stood out so
long against pressure. such as few men in public life have strength or cour-
age to resist.
But now the time has come when the people themselves must choose.
The decision is clear-cut. The parting of the ways has come. We can go
into the European war, and in doing so defend u W rights against
aggression, and at the same time be defended by the precedentS OF history.
On the other hand, we will be equally justified by historical precedents if
we stay out of the wal and adopt a strongly defensive policy OF
armed neutrality against Germany. But l say that this is a time when
Drecedents, national considerations and international laws must tail
before a greater law. say that this is a time when there is only one
decision that America can afford to make. For u own sakes, Tor ting
sake of our children, for the sake of the war-wearied peoples of the
world, and more than all, for the sake of the great immortal spirit o
h,rno,n;tv that still rises above the battefelds, we must do on par |