Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1917-10-17
sEARcHLieAT SEASON OPENS.
Dr.. Herbert l. Wiilett Again Delights
Members Of Club,

Members Of Club.
DR.. Herbert l.. Willett, of the chair
Of Semitic languages Of the University
OF Chicago, again delighted q large
audience Of Searchlight Club members
at the first meeting Of the season, held
Tuesday night at the Y. NJ. c. A. DR..
Willett has appeared before the club
now three seasons, and each Of h.s
lectures has been literary treat and a
most scholarly presentation Of the sub
ject matter under discussion.
America and the World Crisis" was
DR.. Willetts subject Tuesday night.
and proved most forceful review by a
student of world history of the present
great war, it's causes, aims Of war
ring powers, and forecast Of the re-
suit
Dr. Willett traced the history Of the
German empire back to the time OF
Frederick the Great, and showed the
plans for conquest as they had been
matured by succeeding rulers; Of the
blood and iron policy of Bismarck and
Won Moltke, and the upholding Of this
policy by the present emperor.
Many phases of the great conflict
were touched upon. The brutality and
atrocities of the German forces, acting
under orders Of the militant rulers,
were declared to be beyond compre-
hension. However anxious the Amer
lean people were not to believe the
stories earlier in the war. DR.. WineIt
said that now they were compelled to
believe them, as proof had been fur
nished, and that the half had not been
told. and might never be.
The disappointments on both sides
were referred to at length. While the
allies have had their non successes, es-
pecially in not being able to take Con-
stantinople, DR.. Willett declared that
the Germans were not without their
keen and bitter disappointments. Tha
first big one was not being able to
take Paris, when within twenty miles
of it. Another was the failure to cap
ture Verdun, at time when the days
and hours were set for the taking OF
the different outrosts. But more bitter
even than these, DR.. Willett said, were
the disappointments that were to be
those Of the German people in the loss
of their prestige; the los of their lead
ership in education. manufacturing and
pie Of no other country would, for
many years, go to Germany for study
in universities; that the manufactured
products that have eNcelled in Ger
many before the war would not be in
demand after the war; and that Ger
man vessels, destined before the war
to be the greatest carrying power
of the seas, would not rise to such
prominence again.
While condemning in most bitter
terms the practices of the autocracy
Of the central power DR.. Willett had
only the kindest of words for the COM
mon German people. Altho he de-
clared he was a pacjfist, tho never had
he wished to be classed with those or
dinarily posing as pacitists, he believed
the entrance of the United States into
the struggle the only solution. He
thanked God we went in unprepared,
for that indicated to the world that we
had nothing to gain, either in terri
tory, or indemnity. and that all this
country sought was to battle for hui
manity, that democracy might live.
When the war was over, DR.. WHlett
said, it would be found that the United
States was lighting not only for de-
mocracy as we know it, but for the
common people Of Germany as well,
that they, some day, might be free
from the yoke Of military power and
autocracy. He did not think it was
this country's business to attempt to
depose the emperor, or make of Ger
many a democracy, but he believed
that the German people would see to 1t
for themselves at some day to come.
and that the war would pave the way
for them to become free people.
Dr. r. T. French. president of the
club, introduced the speaker, who was
given the closest of attention thruout
his lecture, and was warmly applaud
ed at It's close.