The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1918-03-30
Switches
Defender of German Kul-
tur Changes Views.

DR.. William j. Robinson, one OF
the leading opponents OF the war in
New York, long a contributor to
the New York Call and for years a
consistent defender OF German kul-
tur. has completely changed his
views and states his revision Of
opinion in a frank and emphatic state
ment.
DR. Robinson formerly was editor OF
"A Voice in the Wilderness" paci-
fist publication, suppressed by the gov
eminent. On February "a, two days
before DIR. Robinson had any intima-
ton that his paper was to be sup
pressed, he mailed to his subscribers
a printed declaration to the effect that
he had abandoned his pacifist point OF
view and had become convinced that
the interests of democracy required
support of the president. DR.. Robin
son, in his statement to this paper.
says:
zone sign of greatness, they say. is
readiness to acknowledge an error. 1
am not great: but l am always ready
to confess mistake IL l made one.
1T seems that our president was
right when he said that the HohenZol-
lerns could not be trusted, and that
we were wrong who thought that there
was not much difference between the
militarsm of one country and that of
another. What the German kaiser and
his soldiery are now doing is some
thing so incredible. so horrible, so
treacherous, so unprecedented. that the
mind staggers and the blood runs cold.
1 do not know of a parallel case in
history. Even among the most primi-
tive of savages, when one tribe ack
nowledged itself beaten, begged for
peace, and accepted all terms imposed
by the enemy, the peace was granted.
Here Russia Is actually begging for
peace, is accepting all the humiliatinE
terms demanded by the triumphant
and brutal German junkers, is accept
ing harsher terms than Germany pro-
posed at Brest- Litovsk, one would
think that was enough. No. The
junkers, who have thrown off the
mask and are showing to the whole
world that they are lusting for con-
quest. are determined actually to crush
Russia, to dismember her, to drink her
last drop OF blood. In the presence OF
such an interruptions, ruthless, con-
scienceless barbarism one stands
aghast.
until recently had deplored
Americas entry as nation into the
world struggle. ! had never opposed
entry into the war of individuals who
believed 1t their duty to enlist. On
the contrary, ! always expressed my
admiration for those who were willing
to sacrifice their lives for what they
believed to he a just cause, and / so
stated in the September issue OF a
Voice in the Wilderness
"But my heart cried out at the hor-
ror of our adding as n nation to the
wholesale destruction of life and hap-
piness that such war entails.
During the early days of our par
ticipation in the war l still felt, as
President Wilson had felt a few
months earlier, that America could best
aid the cause of democracy In other
ways than by armed entry into the
struggle.
"But with Germany's hideous inva-
sion of nom resisting Russia, l came TO
realize that there were types of or
ganized wickedness i'll the world that
could not and should not be passively
endured, but that must be resisted IL
the world Is to be saved from the
wholly ruthless domination Of powers
that would destroy democracy every
where, and that scott at all that makes
for justice in international relations.
1T Is now plain to me that until It
becomes possible to organize IA league
of nations, which alone will make war
impossible, the interests Of democracy
require that America continue to sup
port the allied cause and to fight with
all the strength at It's command. l am
now quite willing to accept the leader
ship of President Wilson. being per-
suaded that he knows the situation
better than any one else does, and is
better able to handle 1t wisely"