New-York tribune., 1918-06-03
The Shaded Portion

Between II o'clock and midnight the
communicates come in. The cable editor
takes yesterdays map and draws blue
pencil line through the new locations and
hands it to the engraver with instruc-
tions as to the size he shall make the cut.
Then the military commentator takes the
news and reflects upon it and writes
discussion of the strategy. The next
morning people learn by the caption un-
der the cut that the shaded portion is
what the enemy gained yesterday and
how deep it is in miles; in another COL
umn he reads why this has happened in
stead of what did not happen, and what
is likely to be the next move.
Of the greatest battle in the history
of mankind, for the greatest end that was
ever conceived, we talk and think in mill
tary terms. This cannot be helped. Mill
tary terms represent concrete things. BY
means of them we visualize the technique
of fighting. We get panoramic picture
of the battle. We learn how the Amerl-
cans used their weapons to capture their
first village. We can imagine the French
generalissimo somewhere behind the lines
receiving bulletins, giving orders, moving
things from there to here on fiat rep
resentation of the disputed terrain,
manipulating his resources as on chess
board. He hasn't time to think why he
should be playing this game. His pre-
occupations are military. His relation
to events is objective. This is neces-
sarily so.
But turn again to the shaded portion
of yesterdays map. Look at it long and
steadily. Gradually it ceases to repre-
sent ground won or lost in so many hours,
for reasons which may be stated in mill
tary terms. A spiritual truth is hidden
beneath a mass of objective realities.
The inner significance of the scene cannot
be directly presented in words. It has
to be suggested.
Here on little shaded portion of the
map which you can cover with your finger
are Americans who only few weeks ago
were doing what we continue to do. They
went about in commonplace ways, taking
much for granted, reading the war news,
looking even as we do at the graphic
representation of the shifting terrain,
speaking familiarly of Hindenburg and
Haig, applaudng the French and the
English, without the faintest thought of
ever being there themselves. Yet fate
calls them and they go cheerfully to put
their bodies between the German shells
and the worlds freedom In a short
time they have learned how to carry
their lives dangerously-no, they knew
always how to do that-but how to sell
them dearly, how to defend themselves
in combat, how to inhict death and how
in their turn to die. Ask any one Of
them suddenly why he is doing this and
he cannot tell you. He hasn't time to
think about it.
Nevertheless, why?
Each day we send more Americans in
the direction of that shaded area on the
map. We have undertaken to send an
unlimited number. Yet we have no ma
terial interest in the outcome We have
abandoned beforehand any claim to ter.
ritory or advantage. There is nothing
of tangible value that we hope to get
out of the war or would accent. We
have said so.
Then what is it these men are fighting
for, three thousand miles away?
It is for something we believe. That
IS all one can say. And if you continue
to regard the shaded portion of the war
map and think how those whom we knew
and loved, worked with and quarrelled
with, are now giving their lives for
something we believe, you will realize
how pitifully empty military terms
may be-
But now imagine that instead of look
ing at the shaded area from this side
YOU are there in trench, looking in
this direction. Read one Of Wilbur For
rests vivid word pictures of an Amer;-
can machine gun unit marching at night
toward horizon horribly Illuminated
by German fire. Fancy yourself part
OF it. How would you think Of those
over here! Would it seem strange to you
that the people at home should 90 on
living in the same way, eating, drinking.
dressing, motoring and spending their
money almost as extravagantly as be-
fore? Would you not ask yourself in a
moment OF bitterness: Chow much do
they care?"
The measure of our belief is full. The
practice of our faith is very imperfect.
We take comfort in saying that we
are doing all that we can. 1t isn't true.
We do not know how much mora we can