South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1918-02-17

keep ourselves greater ignorance than
hitherto been of their interests and aspirations.
IT, however. state our ideals in terms OF genuin~
spiritual needs We understand them, shall
define the profound difference between the Germans
OF our position. From the uterances OF modern Ger
philosophers. and from the behavior of Germany
in the war, understand that the German ideal is
be natural in Darwinan sense Nature Is the scene
Of warfare and struggle in which the htest survive
Nature also the impulse TO survive and the
which sustans US in the struggle This is the prospec,
which when he looks upon the life other
animals should become. thinks Germany. the pat
tern Of mans conduct. To survive is TO be
httest-the survive. different in different
mails. whatever nature provides With such
philosophy the brutalities war the most Gym
zeal betrayal Of faith become excusa6e
natural It is natural for animal in hunger to
be ruthless the sight OF food-the ruthlessness IS
immoral. merely indication OF hunger; it is natural
Tor the fortunate animals 10 push the less fitted TO
the wall-the impulse by itself indicate a mastery
spirit. likely This is what in
repeat and man may if he choose decide that il
s o 90 with his native impulses. to
his innate propensties would suggest, to do what he
would have done had he never become cvilized-bur
do with efficiency.
WAR COMPELS DEFINITION.
AGAINST this philosophy ideal OF liberty
"a kind Of liberty which might not have defined
for ourselves had not the war compelled US. Granting
that is cruel. rapacious. and vindctive
lieve that becomes humane only when he frees
himself from these natural tendencies-Only when
virtue OF his and his will he rises
troll of nature directing it's tragic caprice happy
wind bloweth where listeth and the leaf blows
also lsteth. If continue alive be the Oily ambition
for the soul, then the means life be had all
costs at the Of other lives; but may
decide that rather than pay inhuman price it is
better 10 ourselves etter TO die than
make hunger excuse for cruelty. better sue
than by success to become ignoble. Reason
teach ideal freedom in which the best parts
old ideals will be summed up and restated-
freedom for each of TO be human. without
srant of poverty persecution and without the
insidious cOnstraint inadequate philosophy When
German friends defend the sinKng of the Lus-
the ground that war. and that a nation
which still allows NEGROES to be lynched is posi-
tion what is civilized and what is not refuse
debate with Germany such grounds. because
her argument is strong, but because viii
concede the premises of her philosophy.
The Germans the Lusitana; let it be said that
have allowed Negroes TO be burned the stake.
The profound difference between and Germany IS
that wish live in a civilization where such actions
considered crimes
In obvious sense the German ideal is dangerous
for the German has put it into execution and the
logic of it impels him to annihlate if he
more subtle also the doctrine that should
he natural is laying siege TO national character.
though seldom under German name refer again
those educational theories and those
tional practices which would tran-or permt-the