The Washington herald., 1917-02-04
A New Nation.

US. The breeding OF dlsintegrating
influences has gone on like the pro-
pagation of parasites in a culture.
The free processes of democracy
have been twisted to a thousand sim
lister ends.
But all that is over now.
The President has changed it all.
In his calm, unhurried way he has
struck the right chord responsive to
the will of the nation. Without pas
sion, without anger, with even
touch of compassion in his words, he
has spoken the message which ar
raigns America against Prussianism.
The strain and narrowing doubt
are ended Whatever the future
holds, America is a new nation-a
united nation-this morning. AS to
the spokesmen of the forces of di-
vision, their mouths are stopt with
dust"
The dread of war, which up to yes
terday seemed dead weight on the
national heart, has vanished. The un-
easy feeling of too much prosperity,
of fattening on Europe's bloodshed,
no longer bows our shoulders. All
that matters now is unity and inflex-
ible will to follow the new lane to the
end.
America the easy-going, America
the spoiled, needless, superficial and
pleasure-loving adolescent, will never
be quite the same again as it was
before yesterday. She has now put
her hand to the wheel, has taken upon
herself some share of the worlds
burden. She faces sacrifice with be-
coming gravity, and the disturbance
of a bounding prosperity without
regret.
The best sign Of all was the lack of
spread-eagleism and jingoism yester-
day. The street crowds received the
news calmly and were not carried off
with war spirit. They hardly knew
! whethc- it meant war or not.
On that point they will not wait
long to be enlightened. The rupture
of relations with Germany means
war The twilight zone between war
and peace cannot be long maintained.
1t is practically gone now. The Pres
ident's own words lead only to one
conclusion. When the overt infringe
ment of American rights comes this
country must defend these rights.
Unless a dispatch received in this
city last night is incorrect, that time
has already come.
1t Is a brilliant stroke on the Pres
ident's part to make war in the way
he has done He is not making war
on the German people He said yes
terday, 1--WE are sincere friends OF
the German people" and that 1--WE
shall not believe they are hostile to
us unless and until we are obliged to
believe it." He spoke of the ancient
friendship" between Americans and
Germans, and of his "inveterate con-
fdence in the sobriety and foresight
of their purpose"
He struck only at the German gov
ernment. With it he did not deal as
harshly as he should have done. Per
haps the studied detachment of his
words from all uncharitableness lent
force to the high purpose that sounds
in it, even above the resolve for "the
reasonable defense of the undoubted
rights of our people"-the purpose OF
lending the full force of this democ
racy to the work of casting the Prus-
sian yoke off the neck of Germany.
Going to war in such spirit is
like the Crusades of the Middle Ages.
There is nothing in modern times
exactly like it. 1--WE wish to serve no
selfish ends" said the President He
could find no hrmer rock on which
to found the rebirth of America.
NOuul Won Sdlu 10
group of newspaper men on the night
before last: "No matter what you do,
Germany will never declare war on
you-no, not even if you declare war
on u.s." Such words typify as moth
ing else the tragedy of the new dis
pcnsation of frightfulness in Berlin.
We are forced to war on the Ger
man people through the desperation
Of a dynasty that has sacrificed a
nations honor to save itself from the
abyss. If the people of this country
do not fully understand this fact to-
day, they will know it four weeks
from now. The truth about Germany
will soon be out.
President Wilson has not asked for
the support of the nation in this
crisis. He has taken for granted those
quick responses of the heart which
have never failed an American Pres