New-York tribune., 1918-07-01
The Furnace of Democracy
By Harold Williams
from "1'he Ne1U Europe"

But apply the principle to international
politics, to the innumerabe questions
raised by the world war. "The New Eu-
rope" is quite right in doing so, and Pres
idert Wilson has done so with great wis
dom and with inspirting force. The appeal
is to the right instinct, or rather to the
only principle that is broad enough, and
has sufficient moral authority to harmonic
the conflicting political instincts. But
when applied to international politics the
democratic principle covers a number of
processes of very different kinds and quail
tiles. 1t is a reasent that has very differ
ent effects in different politics, in different
ethnographcal conditions. 1t is a very
general watchword for an era, it is the
principle for world polity, but it is not
hard-and-fast programme Immediately ap-
plicable to the needs of every nation that
enters that polity.
If the world is to be made safe for de-
mocracy we have to make pretty sure that
democracy is not going to be unsafe for
the world. Russia was for a few months
the most democrats country on earth. The
principles of democracy--the intellectual
precipitate, that is, of a specifically Anglo
Saxon experience-were applied suddenly
with great thoroughness to a variety Of
peoples inhabiting nearly one-seventh of
the globe. 1T was an astounding expert
lhent / admit it was made under abnormal
conditions, but it is none the less instruc-
tive. The members of the Provisional Gov
ernment were convinced democrats. They
believed whole-heartedly in liberty as the
true basis of power, they abhorred coer-
cion, they trusted the people, they believed
persistently in the efficacy of moral sua-
sion. Universal suffrage, freedom of the
press and of language, of religion all sorts
or autonomies, democratic local govern
ment, proportional representation, the abo-
ltlon OF capital punishment amnesties, the
opening of prison doors-democracy, in a
word, was made the all-sufficing rule of life,
even In the army. 1t was intoxicating, and,
at first, most exhilarating. 1t seemed for
time as though democracy had won
complete victory.
Was it victory or was it disastrsus
defeat? The liberated and awakened
masses-so to speak-got the bit in their
teeth and bolted. The promise of great
achievement broke down in decentralization.
humiliation and disaster. Russis is now
stifed, gagged and buffeted by power that
tramples on the idea of democracy, in the
name, not of q monarchical despotism. but
of the dictatorship of the proletariat. Tho
Germans are gradually establishing their
domination on the ruins of those great
hopes.
What then? Are the reactionaries r;chto
Does the Russian disaster mean that do
mocracy is not the principle that is to gov
ern the world and establish harmony arnonp
the peoples? Must we go back and com
promise on bad peace that would restore
the status quo in Russia and eyervwhers
else! Fortunately, we cannot, even If we
would. We have no choice. But it Is no use
lndulging in mutual recriminations. blar-
ing each other, blaming the Allies. the Ro,-
shevlki or anybody else. God knows therc
are whole generations of error and crir,o n
De accounted for, and it would be ahsurd
to throw up the sponge and abandon IN.
struggle simply because every step Wa take
shows more clearly what fearfn, roudd1o
our world civilization reallv xr.. =.