Evening star., 1918-04-10
SEES FRATERNITY OF
NATIONS AFTER WAR.
Americas Contribution, Dr..
McEIroy Tells Conference
of Lecturers.
IDEALS coLoNIsTs GAVE

The American colonists gave to
France the triple Inspiration OF liberty
equality and fraternity" for the citizens
of a nation. Now America is helping
give the whole world not only the first
and second items, but also the vision
of yeritable fraternity of nations
This was the idea emphasized by Dr.
Robert McElroy, educational director
of the National Security League. and
head of the department Of politics ana
history of Princeton University, speak
ing this morning before the opening
session of the third day of the con-
ference of American lecturers held at
the Hotel Washington. Although Dr..
McElroy's subject was Historical
Backgrounds of the War" in the pres
entation of his theme he was the
patriotic orator rather than the MS
torian or scholar.
To Save Rest Of Civilization.
The liberal element in Great Britain.
where representative government had
languished, considered the fight of the
American colonsts as a struggle Tor
the political liberty. not only of them
selves, but of every English subject"
said Dr. McElroy, In part. Now tnat
America, which liberalized England and
gave her back her soul, and Whicn IN
spired France, is fighting. not to help
save France, but to help france save
the rest of civilization.
| Representative government, no point
ed out, was In reality born In tho Tor
ests of ancient Germany. But the me
dieval German emperors. dazzieo Dy .ne
rainbow vision of wearing the crown
of the Caesars, neglected to make Ger
many a genuine nation.
The consequence was that the av-
! aricious and powerful barons OF CEN
trail Europe, left largely to themselves,
built up the ideal of militady efficiency,
| which overshadowed those OF democ-
racy, reverted to autocracy and per-
sists until today.
Frederick the Great Denounced.
The speaker, as did Senator Owen
Yesterday, denounced as disgrace the
existence in the Capital city of a statue
through history as Frederick the
| Great" He has cursed the world. de-
clared DR.. McElroy. and should be
known by his rightful title OF Pred
erick the Vile"
into writing the maxim and signed
the maxim that The sovereign who
when about to sign a treaty, remembers
| that he is a Christian, is lost
| 1--WE may not now be far enough
| removed from events for accurate his
| torical purposes, but we know enough
about events to fight like patriots
| against armed and predatory autoc-
1 racy," concluded DR.. McElroy. ANY
| man who is neutral, or who Is 1noiI-
! ferent to the crime against the worid,
| is a traitor to civilization. We haven
| entered this war to gain anything Tor
| ourselves if we win, and God knows
| we won't lose it for the sake OF spar
! Dr. John Bates Clark. professor OF po-
| litical economy at Columbia University
who discussed the economic interpreta-
| ton of the war, and Rev. Father Jonn
| A. Ryan of Catholic University, whose
| tonic was the social changes to be ef-
| fected by the war, were the otneI
| speakers DIR. Clark explained tnat
i even a war for liberty and not Tor gam
Il is neither extra-economtc nor anu
| economic; on the other hand It's eco
nomio fruitfulness is, next 10 us no
bility of purpose. an added and I'M
portant factor.
Speakers at the afternoon session
were William English Walling, econ
omist and publicist: Gustavus Myers
| historian; Bertram G. Nelson. associate
director of the "four-minute men, ano
John II. Francis. director OF the Unlteo
| States school garden army.