Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-01-01
AMERICA IN 1917
Transformation of Year Turns United Peacenaer
Champion OF World Democracy

Nineteen seventeen stepped into tho march
OF the years with the United States as a
peacemaker and broke ranks to fade away
into the procession of the dead years with
the United States as the champion of world
democracy. The gospel of the Prince Of
Peace was forced aside by the aggressons
and intrigues of the Huns ard America was
forced TO unshcath tho sword to win the bat
tic for freedom OF the nations against impo-
sitlon of the yoke of autocracy and menace
OF Prussian kultur. symbolic word which
sums UP shortly and significantly all that
compels freenlen to arms to fight for tho
ideals they hold glorious enough to warrant
eSaltedly willing exchange of home tran
quillity for foreign battlefelds. prosperity for
industrial and commercial disruption, we'll
won ease for hardship, general safety of life
and l0mb for dangers even unto the supreme
sacrifice of death.
As the year entered the calendar the world
was ringing with President Wilson's peace
without-Niotory" sloSan, with his peace pro-
posals--oftering the good offices of the United
states as mediator between the belligerenTs-
still awaiting answer from the Allies. with
official Washington cherishing the fallacy
that the United States would not be forced
into the conflict, with the people sobered by
the gravity Of momentous issues, yet hopeful
Of peace
The year made its exit with the nations
still at battle grips. with the Entente heart
ened by the entrance OF n great ally, with
tho United States nine months in the war
with the Central Empires as arrogant as
ever. after having launched in February a
ruthless U-bont campaign, having corrupted
Russia with Teuton gold and having made a
fresh stand Oh the western front and n
strenuous offensive against Italy.
With 1913 the United States steps over the
threshold OF n new era In its foreign relations
ard its internal policies. II abandons its
traditional and splendid isolation as a demo-
cratic republic. materially and politically self
sufficient without alliances. and complements
its basic natioralism with lofty international
spirit through acknowledged leadersh in
universal democracy.
Nineteen eighteen today dawns ,non .
peaceful people sternly bent upon winning a
war. readjusting its affairs from the business
OK peace TO the urge of war, sweeping aside
conventions, regulations and traditions TO nut
into action the broad vigorous. humanitarian
policies formulated by President Wilson i'm
his memorable public pronouncements 7,
dawns upon military and militant people
reused TO new and individual interest in the
titanic struggle of liberty against tyranny. in
a great burst of passionate patriotism and
personai partieipation It dawns upon a great
American expedition in France an American
battle feet In European waters: a rnilIion
men training In cantonments and nine rnlIion
more ready to respond to the call to the coIors
through a magnifcenty democrat tio selecti,,.
system replacing the outmoded volunteer
- Ne"ho upol a nation tnat has
quit private enterprise for the time being
ana. as an emergency measure I'm crisis
adopted paternalism and liberalization in n
grand consolidation. OF effort and energies and
resources concentrated to the single focal
point or winning democracy's war and win
ning II efficiently speedily and completely.
II dawns with fuel, food. shipbuilding ara
conihodnies under Government administra-
tion, with the nations railroads Organized
into vast. powerful. unitary system of
trackage and terminals. with a twenty billion
congress II. the legislative seats: with a mar
velous tribute TO patriotism i'm two great
Liberty Loans totaling eight billions of dol
lars, and to loyalty for our Alliance in BILL
Hons or funds in loans: with a marvellous
tribute to humanity in one hundred millions
kiVeh 10 the Red Cross and half as much 10
the \. NJ. 9, A., the knights Of Columbus and
the Young Mems Hebrew Association; with
political partisanship obliteratsd even az the
seas which separated our aims from alien
soil, even as the lines Of our transmitted
atsd.
Nineteen seventeen Witnessed the splendid
advance OF Italy in area and altitude almost
70 an open gateway to Vienna, shatterine OF |
the prestige OF the Turks In the Moslem world
through the fall Of Bagdad and Jerusalem
and smashing OF the Kaiser's dream OF a nar.
isrmanic empire expanding In the Orient. |
9srmanys reaplng of q harvest Of woe from |
~ Hune ok tho eee1n Of iptrlGpe "a South |