Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-02-11
HE HAS PUT IRON INTO OUR
SOULS


community who has not been taxed by
the Kaiser Because this autocrat saw
red. every citizen in this Republic pays
more for what he puts into his mouth,
for what he puts on his back and for the
shoes which cover his feet. Because the
Kaiser dreamed Of a German world, we
pay and our descendants will pay billions
and billions of dollars, every cent of which
might otherwise have been used for the
construction of good roads, TIE improve.
uent of our harbors the digging Of neces-
sary canals and a thousand and one other
things. We pay in what we have and we
pay in what We do without. on account of
German autocracy, and yet there are men
who tell us that this convulsion in Europe
- none of our affair.
The world has suddenly leaped so many
centuries ahead that the individual mind
has been unable to keep up with it, a few
generations ago veil was lifted from the
mind Of man. Intelligence became intelli-
gent. Invention added miracle to miracle.
piled wonder on wonder. It changed the
course of ordinary life and underworld n
new policy in war. All men felt it, but
only one class of men were willing delib-
erately to set about applying this ma.
chinery to their own aggrandizement and
the enslavement Of the world. Nor was 1t
within the apprehension of other men
that a conspiracy so foul could be hatched.
They did not prepare for it because they
never expected to meet IT.
A part of this new machinery of war
snce of the nations has been increasing
( rapidly ever since steamships supplanted
sal-ing vessels. 1t was apparent to mill.
tarists that they could not launch an up
heavai In Europe without endangering
peaceful nations elsewhere. Every bur-
giar is a potential murderer. if tho resi-
' dent of an invaded house catch him at his
work. One man in a company of soldiers
cannot be out Of step without causing
oonfusion to the whole company. When
German guns attacked Liege they attacked
Washington. They attacked, indeed, the
house Of every American, for they attacked
his income and his livelihood. The treat.
ment of Belgium was direct and brutal
Z that of distant lands was indirect but no
less brutal in conception.
We are called on to organize not solely
against a SYSTEM of government which is
rspusnant to us, but also against an eco.
nomic system of ruinous import. What
we have to contend against, in fact, is
PROSTITUTION of the resourcefulness Of the
human mind to violently destructive pur.
poses. Mr.. Edison is immortal, for his
porks have added to the comfort of
human life and the advance Of civillza-
ton. The brain of German Edison would
b nianacled to a Krupp furnace. There
have been intrusted to us for safe-keeping
certain concepts and laws Of life which
4 for twenty centuries have guided Western
civilization. These concepts and laws the
Kaiser seeks to overrule by force Of arms.
He would overturn civilization by the
employment of the machinery that civili-
xation has created.
Our great buildings will be closed today
and many industries will be Idle for want
Of coal. Each day we do without some
standard article of food. We have given
up our boys to the training camp and thou
sands of them are already in France. Our
industry is changing from a peace indus.
Try to war industry. Our accumulated
4avings are being poured into the ma.
tional treasury. Tens of thousands of men
have virtually pauperized themselves to
sGive personal service. A highwayman has
1lferally pulled us out of bed at dead of
NIGHT having previously set part OF our
<obodes afre and by other devious means
&Hperiled our existence. Have we nothing
ainat him?
9r Every heatless day. every wheatless day
~ evsry other "less" day is a tax the
~ has levied on America He is re-
1bls and our armies are in the field