New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-12-23

the first full flush Of an idea, that they must
issue dicta on the value Of all human eXpe-
rience! No. 10 submit to this war business
means 4 sacrifice, temporary al least. and for
some OF us final, of the finest things that all
evolution has produced; and the sacrifice is
hideOus one, sickenng, terrible. lt is
lightened only by the faith that it is tenn
porary one and necessary; made eXcusable
only by the hope Of thus safeguarding and
creating a greater opportunity for precisely
such cultural development in the future. But
let it never be gorifed for its own sake, on
the ground that it has displaced a lesser
order In spite Of the fine stoicism. the cool
and ardent courage, the patient and reck-
less faith it has produced, it is essentially
a stimulus of a lower less imaginative, less
vital sort than the less unified but more
pregnant appeals of a peace culture.
whether this is true or not IN the front
line trenches, it is surely so here IN camp
Routine, a man said, is ny middle name,
and want to forget the day was chrstened'
Marching, digging, shooting, pairing potatoes.
washing your cast-ron fork in democratized
dshwater, adopting the new standard OF
truth based on military rank, doing dis
agreeable Jobs graciously, growing hair on
the chest-these are all routine, british. un-
imaginative jobs, and to be treated "a such,
endured only because they are sadly
necessary.
There are compensations. Looking a. the
mushroom town OF 10000 by night, blazing
barracks. row on row; sitting in a crowded
(and greatly appreciated y. VI. Hut where
a first-rate violinist is playing programme
Of rag and Fritz kreisler, artsticslly blend
ed; noticing a college instructor and drum
mer Jogging elbows while they read maya
zines around the fireplace or write home;
showing my way among mob OF 1000 gath
cred TO hear oh. Boy; talking spiritedly
about free love and the end OF the var with
the teamster bunking next me on my right.
considering all this. ! am persuaded that
this affair means clear gain for democracy.
Men are learning TO work and feel together,
chiefly in a clean and vigorous fashion, many
are having the chance 10 hear good speakers.
see good movies, hear good music, play good
games, read good books, for the first time II
their lives and the chance is almost com
puson, for time must be killed ny heart
was singuarly responsive TO clumsy farm
err lad who happened across an odyssey, IN
the original, in one OF the I. VI. {. a. IL
braries. and. remembering academy days. bur
rowed into il with set jaw FOR an hour, try
ing TO catch the spell OF II. surge and
tNunAtI Ois gCr, III oP'sV VI VIC PNPN'@''NS
Of sicxening sen,imentality in songs Il have
even heard The Baggage Coach Ahead sung
and listened to seriously and the continuous
and vacuous profanity. one feels that the
future FOR democracy is considerably bright
or because OF the community Of thought. feel
ing and action that these training camps are
making 10 be. Who shall say, even among
us stoical, Toutine-Griven impotent pieces Of
the game, that were the war 20 end to-mor-
row, this camp life could not TO advantage
be continued for e year, especially II con-
structiye, cultural elements were 10 take
the place of much of the military routne7
The war end tomorrow? In more ways than
one 1t might actually work democracy harm"