The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-12-08

{
7 were revoltod by the hideous brutality
Of the war and its colossal waste
| Participation must be purchased with
1 siuGiiarly colossal diversion Of Ameri-
ca II energy from constructive to de-
structire work the imposition Of 3
similarly heavy burden upon the fu-
ture production OF American labor
Il implied the voluntary surrender OF
many of those advantages which had
ten pied our ancestors to cross the
Atlantic and settle In the New World
As galnst these certain costs there
were no equally tangible compensa-
/, 'ions. The legal rights Of American
citizens were. II is true. being violet
ed. and the structure Of international
Law With which American security
was tradjtionaliy associated was be-
ing shtvered hut the nation had
woathered a similar storm during the
Ne poleonic wars and ~ that time
participation in the conflict had been
wholly Improbable
PRESIDENT WILSON'S
GENIUS
The United states uiieIEf have
Numbered into the yrsr at any time
during the last two yearH. but 10 have
entered, ~ II Ia now doing, at the
right time and in the clear interest
Of purely International program re-
CURED the exercise OF an inteilcc-
'tualtzed and imaginative leadership.
And in supplying the country with
this leadership Ir, Wilson was In
tsrpretihg the ideas OF thoughtful
Americans who wished their country
TO be fighting on the side of inter
national right. but not until the right
eouTness OF the allied cause was un-
cquivoccely established Y has tax
en- some time to reach this assurance
The war originated IN conflicting ma
tion8l ambitions among European
powers FOR privileged economic md
political positions in Africa and Asia,
and II it had continued to he war
OF this Kind there never could have
been question Of American inter
Vention. Germany. however, had
been dreaming OF a more glorious
goal than Baedad and u mishtier
| heritage than that OF Turkey. She
betrayed her dream by attacking
France through Belgium and hy
threa tening the foundations OF Euro
pean order The crucifying ~ peI-
GUM established a strong preeump-
tfon against Germany but the case
was not complete There still re-
manned the dubious origin If the war.
There. stiH remained doubt whether
/ the defeat ~ German militia riam
might not mean dangerous triumph
Of Russia autocracy Above ell, there
remained moro serious doubt wheth.
er the United states III aiding the al
/ lies TO beat Germany might not be
contributing merelH TO the establish
ment OF new and equally unstable
and demoralizine balance or power In
! Europe it was we'll, consequently
I re e. ,V% ~ 40 1r
meut II the war would not do away
with some or the antiquities and mis-
eivings. while 81 the seme time To
AVOID doing anything 10 eulbarrass
/ die ai4es TIE waiting poG6E hH-
1 served Germany was driven ny the
logic os her original aggression 70
threaten the security Of all neutrals
! connected with the rest Of the world
! by maritime communications. The
| Russian autocracy was overshr o VIII.
because IT betrayed it's furtive kin
ship with the German autocracy.
Finally. President wilson used the
waiting period for the education OF
! Amsriosn public opinion. His cam
| pslign speeches prophesied the aban
| donment of American lsoia ton I'm the
| interest Of a league of peace. His
note OF last Decemher TO the Beliig
/ eranta brought out the sinister secrecy
Of German peace terms and the com
! parative frankuess Of that OF the al
Hes His address to the SENATE clear
/ " anuncIated the only program on
behalf of which America could in
tervene in European affairs Never
WAS there a purer and more sue
csssful example Of Fabian political
strategy for Fabianism consists not
merely in waiting bat Tn preparing
during the meantime FOR the success
full application OF a plan 10 confused
and dangerous cituatiou.
what MIR Wilson did was 10 app!y
patience and bra ma 10 complicated
and difficult but developing political
situation lie was distinguished from
his morally indignant pro-allics fell
, 10" eountrymsD who a few months
ago We're abusing him fer seeking 10
ma kc specifically American eontri-
button 20 the issues o. he wse last
as Lincoln was distinguished from
the Rboiitionirts NOT so much by diff /
ference in purpose as ny greater poll
tlcsl wisdom and intelligence II Is
because or hts Fabianisu. because
he insisted upon waiting 1intil he had
established clear connection between
American intervention and an at
tempt To create "a community Of ma
uonst ana he can command and SO |
cure for American Intervention the |
full allegiance Of the American ma +,
tonE1 conscience. His achievement |
Is great personal triumph, but II |
IL more than that. II is an illustra- |
ton and prophecy of the part which |
intelligence and In general the in
tellectual GLASS have an opportunity /
Of playing In shaping American
policy and in moiding AR1ericAh life
The In tifnate association, between &C
ton and IDEAS. characteristics OF Amer t
lean Political practice al Its best, has
been indicated once more. The as
sootstion was started At the founda-
ton Of She Republic and was en-
bodied in the work of the fathers, i
but particularly In that of Hamilton. |
IL was carried on during tho period /
~ the CIVIL war and vas embodied /
chiefly in the patient and penetrating I
Intelligence whieh Abraham IAncoin /
brought 10 his TASK 10 has Just been |
Established III the region OF foreign 7
policy by AIr, Wilson's discriminating I
eTort 10 keep this United States out 1
~ the war untfi n could go in az the 1
instrument Of en- exclusively intarna.- 4
t4ot4a programs aad with fair pros
peer of getting It's program accepted. I
IN holding To This policy Mr. Wilson 4