Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-12-05

the acorn. ne OAK Is the lueal WnlCn
the acorn is fated by the law Of its being
to realize. Soulless. conscienceless,
greedy Germany is the realization of the
ideal of German kultur. The ideal of
nation, the intangible. invisible shape
into which the dreams of its people
would force it, is the most powerful in
fuence at work in shaping the form of
its civilization. And the ideal of the
nation is the combined ideals of the peo-
pie who compose it,
II IS about time that We began
searching Of hearts to discover Just what
we want America to be, for many things
are in solution Just now, and their re-
shaping is easier than it will be in 4 few
years. One voice has lately been heard
decrying German kultur. II IS that of
Nicholas Murray Butler, president of
Columbia University. In the course of a
recent address at Princeton he reminded
up that there are three fundamental as
poets Of life which must be considered if
We are to do anything more than drift.
They are:
First. The aspect OF eN,icS, trh.ch he de-
scibes as the doctrine OF co0duct and
se,tice.
Second The aspect oJ economies, rhich
is the doctrine OF guihjM occupation.
Third. The aspect Of politics. 7ohich is
the doctrine OF the reconciliation be-
tireen the t1co and OF lir6Ig together in
harmony and helptuLNeS%,
Doctor Butler concludes that il We
face the future with 4 realization of the
truth that ethics, economics and politics
are not three different and contradictory
dsciplines, but three aspects of one and
the same discipline, we shall put behind
us the German-made psychology without
a soul and the German-made economics
with nothing higher than gain as the
end. ...'"'.'..
II the American people believe that
the mission OF politics in its broader as
pect is to bring about harmony between
conduct, inspired by the theory of service,
and business, entered upon for profit, the
tasks of the future will be comparatively
easy. We shall then have an ideal, the
attempt to realize which will shape
to the highest ends everything that
we do.
Apply this TO the railroad situation, for
example. Do we want the Government
to own the railroads because we are
! Jealous Of the private citizens who now
own them and because we seek to deprive
them Of their sources of wealth? Or do
we want the railroads to be returned to
:heir owners in order that they may be
| protected in their property and continue
! to get rich from it? Or are we seeking
the best way to solve the problem of
railroad transportation for the greatest
| good Of the greatest number? Can the
enemies of capital and the owners of cap
ital meet on common platform Of de-
sire for the common good? IF they can,
the rest is easy. If they cannot, we are
doomed to a conflict of interests and to
an attempt TO imbed in our national life
the principles of German-made economics
with nothing higher than selfish gain as
the end, where we ought to have unity
of interest and conflict only of zeal in
seeking the best way to serve the whole
people.
The labor problem can be solved as
simply if We choose to apply to it the
combined ideals of ethics and economics
and politics as set forth by Doctor But
ler But thus far certain of the labor
leaders appear not to be considering thC
larger ethical ideal, with its theory o.
service, because they are insisting on the
economies of gain, and they are demand
ing that politics shalt not attempt to har
monize ethics and economics, but that i
shall ignore every consideration saw
that which will insure to labor the higl
wages which it has been receiving durinJ
the war regardless of the needs of tn
rest Of the community. And there ar
also some employers who are equal!
blind to the ethical side of their function
in society, and are considering only hoy
much work they can get for how littl
money.
1t Is too much TO hope that there vii
g<s ~ .... AL - ~