New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-05-27
Summing 1t Up
Blu Arthur Gleason

could not be happy in other work. We do not
want money, primarily, so long as there is Sc
curity, and enough for decent living, and
pension, perhaps, at the end of it all. What
can money offer compared with public SER
vice."
That is the secret Of what is best in Eng
lsh life: the finest men in public service, a
level OF conduct, clean administration and
government. The democracy must never lower
! that standard.
Within few months many gains have been
made A Ministry Of Labour has been formed.
The first Imperial War Conference with ex.
ecutive function is being held. A minimum
wage in agriculture has been established.
Compulsory tillage in Ireland has been initi-
ated l heard Bernard Shaw sum it all up
the other day. By "it" mean the war and
the reconstruction. He said:
Hopes of the Labor Party
"There is no time for any further discus
sion, so I will say few words. When the
war came the Labor party decided that it
would cooperate loyalty with the government.
1t felt that it could not itself run the war
end the government. In its mind it agreed
with the decision Of the labor leaders in
joining the government. 1t could not we'll do
otherwise. And yet, at the recent convention
of the Labor party, the men who were most
vigorously applauded were the rebels, the men
who had stood out for an independent attitude
toward the war. The heart Of the Labor
party was with these men, showing that its
~ ;e cti oil of Jou t.L
mand. That is the position we are in to-day
with the reconstruction. The workers desire
control, but they do not yet fully know how
to take it."
And there is another thing that needs say
ing in last word. Deeper even than the
urge Of all these recorded movements there
is spreading desire for good will to prevail.
The victory of Russian liberalism has sudden
ly set the thinking Of mankind at a deep level.
The mass-people are vaguely but hopefully
turning toward some larger synthesis than a
narrow nationalism. They wish something
that will give peace in our time, a political
programme that will not defraud that instinct
of nationality, but will liberate it into a
larger vessel than the rigid nation-state. The
commonwealth of nstionalities is the goal
toward which swift currents are bearing
them-such commonwealth as that into
which the British Empire is slowly trans
forming itself. The European world is wait
ing to-day for man like Lincoln or Francis
of Assist to appear who will state these hopes
Of humanity in clear orderly form.
Mutual Good Will
am convinced that our own future is
bound up with that of England, that together
with England and France We can face the
world with security, and gradually and pain
fully make the democratic principle prevail
I am convinced that, divided, both England
and America will be fatally weakened, and
that the future will be poorer because Of the
split. What is needed is Interpretation of
each country to the other, leading to intel
lectual understanding, and finally to good
will. For that common understanding con-
slider it of Importance that England shall
conquer certain arrogance, a certain I'M
willingness to accept US grown-up, and
that she shall clear the Irish situation. For
that common understanding, consider it OF
equal Importance that America should cease
her policy of sloofness, and overcome the
sclf-complacency which believes that our
country alone is the land of freedom and JUS
tce and the champion of democracy. Then
together in humility, we can achieve great
ness, and extend the principle of democratic
control.