Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-11-28
RIGHT HAS TRIUMPHED
OVER MERE BRUTE FORCE
Why Every One Should Give Thanks Today
for the Nindication of the Spiritual
Powers in the Heart of Man

WHEN the war began Japanese
statesman remarked, with perhaps a
little satisfaction, that it marked the
breaking down Of western civilization
There were western observers who were
inclined to the same view. We were told
that Christianity was a failure; that we
were little better than savages, sicklied
o'er with thin veneer of culture, which
cracked and disappeared when the first
great strain was put upon it.
No one at first understood the issues
that were at stake. On this side of the
ocean we thought that it was mere
quarrel of the European Powers, like so
many quarrels that had broken out in
the past centuries. But as the weeks
heightened into months and the months
grew to years we discovered that hor-
rid thing had raised its head and was
reaching out it's tentacles like huge
devilfish to draw the whole world to it
to be its food. The purpose was greed,
ruthless, logical greed, convinced that
mere brute force was enough to beat
down any other power in the world.
We have been saying that right has
now triumphed over might. And it has.
The Germans took too little account of
God in what they did. They did not know
there was divine spark in the souls of
men which no brute force could stamp
out. And they did not realize that their
armies sweeping across Belgium were as
a mighty fan which would blow that
| spark into a consuming fire.
Every principle of justice and right
eousness was outraged. And the world
began to see that the issue could not be
| ignored; that if civilization were to con-
| tinue the horrid thing must be beaten
down and destroyed. Europe saw this
before it dawned on America. We were
5000 miles away. We said that Euro
pean disputes did not concern US. We
had more than hundred years of isoa-
ton to support this view. Our states
men had taught US that we could make
no more grievous mistake than to take
part in wars on the other side of the
ocean. Our officials persistently refused
to turn their backs on the old precedents
and face the new conditions. But power
| greater than precedent was at work,
silently and consistently Transforming
the thinking of a whole nation. The time
came when we could no longer keep out,
because that divine force, which vitalizes
every mans thinking, had led the nation
! to the conclusion that unless Germany
were defeated there would be no more
| freedom on the face of the earth. There
| is no more stupendous miracle than this.
| The majestic might of spiritual pur-
! pose seized the weapons of physical
| power in order that mere brute force
working for selfish ends might not
achieve it's purposes.
Right did triumph over might. And it
| has been demonstrated before the eyes
of all men that there are spiritual forces
in the world potent enough to beat down
| evil. Because of it, we bow down in
humble thankfulness before whatever
gods there be and confess our allegiance
to that which has saved our civilization.
Whatever peSsimists may have thought
at the beginning, it has been shown that
the war has vindicated the principles on
which our civilization is founded. They
are the principles which rest on the fun
damental nature of enlightened man
Our civilization feeds the hungry, gives
drink to the thirsty and visits the widow
and the fatherless in their affliction. Ir
its new manifestation it has regarded the
little nations as mere aggregations Of
people entitled to the same protection
that it has shown to the individual. II
has answered the question of Cain and
has assumed the burden and the privilege
of looking after its brother.
If we had refused to respond to the
inner urging the world would have beer
like the pleasant vineyard of the parable
of the ancient Oriental prophet, who
after describing how its caretakers hae
would lay it waste and command thu
clouds that they rain no rain upon it
"for the vineyard of the Lord of host!
is" this old world, "and he looked fol
judgment, but behold oppression; fol
righteousness, but behold cry"
So our faith in those powers that maxi
for righteousness is justified. Our belle
in the ultimate triumph of the right
even though it may have to wait forty
eight years, from 1870 to 1918, rests 0,
sound foundations, and we can face tn
future more confident than ever befor
that there is divine fire in the human
soul which will finally burn to cinder
every vestige of unrighteousness.
So let us give thanks unto the Lord
and let all that is within US bless Hi
holy name.
THE FUTURE OF AIRPLANES
MOST of the men who are coming bacl
| Il aRtA n