New-York tribune., 1918-08-06
The Endowed Revolution

or less silently grieving at the foolish
way people were fighting it instead of
discussing it, We had no notion they
were growing irritated and minded tow
ard desperate measures. Yet here is
the bloody evidence we stumble upon in
reading our last "New Republic"
Such brazen assumptions paraded as
news, illustrate day by day the kind of
capitalistic activity against which the in
tehigentsia is in ferment
Is endowed newspaper the answer?
Or world wide revolution? 1t all de-
pends, of course, on the varieties and
degrees of social pressure. 1t is hard to
imagine a revolution in the United
States, and impossible to imagine it until
Germany is fought to the finish. But
dissatisfaction with American newspa-
pers is growing and is likely to keep on
growing. The more it grows The better.
Worldwide revolution! Intelligentsa
in ferment The more it grows the bet
ter! We seemed to hear newsboys shout
ing the headlines hoarsely But they
were not headlines. They were sem
tences, as we said, from "The New Re-
public.' They were from a book review
by F. H., a small but very important
portion of intelligentsia-in-a a -ferment
They came as a climax of much deserved
wit at the expense of newspapers. Con-
cealed there amid proper "New Repub-
lie" matter upon the state of the nation
and the universe, glared forth this sting
ing prophecy--as if sublimated street
urchin had seized a bit of red chalk and
scrawled "The Day." on the walls of
our solemnest and most select club.
The very calmness of the gesture
added to it's omen. Pure and thoughtful
souls are a JOY and relief in world Of
stupidity and sin. When they pick up
meat axe one pauses---for an eXpana-
ton. We paused.
We recalled that once before "The
New Republic'' threatened revolution.
That was long ago, over year back,
soon after the nation went to war, on
May 19, 1912, to be exact. "The Greater
Victory' was being hymned as usual,
the precise object then being to placate
the Bolshevks. Without Russia there
could be no victory over Germany "ex-
cept as consequence of as complete an
organization of the fighting power of
the United States as that which has
taken place in France and Great Brit
ain" An army of four million soldiers,
conscription from twenty to forty, three
or four years of fighting, formed the
terrible picture painted. And "The re-
suit would almost certainly be a rcvolu-
ton in America far more bloody and
drastic than the revolution in Rus
Of course, all that "The New Rapub-
lie" shuddered at has come-eXcept the
revolution. That is naturally postponed
until, as i. II. handsomely comedies,
Germany is fought to the finish" And
precisely here, amid much relief we
found our clew to THE New Republics"
revolution 1t is cheerful explanation
and we gladly share it.
1t is not real revolution, but an en-
dowed revolution that "The New Repub-
llc' wants. There is nobody who would
be so shocked and stunned by real
revolution as these well bred, intelligent
sian souls They may like to pick up a
meat axe once in while and run a
finger along the edge shiverinclv. Who
does not? But, bless you, they hate the
very thought of blood 1t is brains thew
are strong in, not stomachs.
Just how does an endowed revolution
work? 1t is always retreating and
never arriving, for the first and main
point. 1t is a theory and not condi
ton. Or if it ever did arrive it would
be arbitrated at once in the "New Re-
public" editorial room. Only the best
grammar would be used in the revolu-
tlonary placards. And tea would be
served at the guillotine-a purely SYM
bolical machine devoted to splitting in
finitives for the edification of the more
red-blooded of the intelligentsia. If
Charlotte Corday, of Greenwich VILLAGE
discovered Mr.. Herbert Croly at his bath
she would merely shake her bobbed hair
at him and sell him GERS hbre.
We would not do f. II. or "The Nav
Repuhlc' an injustice. There are sew
eral chances conceded against the revo-
luton. An endowed newspaper might
forfend 1T, for one thing. ut all de-
pends, of course, on the varieties and
degrees of social pressure" That is
more simply, upon the state of the en-
dowment. Here, we suggest, lies one of
the chief beauties of the endowed revo-
tuition. 1t runs just as long as the en-
dowers enjoy it and are willing to put
up Tor 1t. When the endowment stops
the revolution stops, too.
Mr.. Hylans first seven months in the