American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1918-06-18
SHALL WI MIN IN TIME TO SAVE
CIVILIZATION

II We are nghting 10 save civiliza-
tion from destruction. We must make
haste to rln. or else. even though We
win this war. w shall be In danger
Of losing the cause for which We night.
Civilization IL an organized society Of
tree men and women. and no ciyilixa-
tou u worthy Of the name unless al
least the large majority OF the popula-
uon have plenty OF food and clothing
and enough opportunity 10 awaken
ambition. The longer this var lasts
the more difficult Il becomes 10 apply
any such test 10 the continent OF Eur
ope. European Russia Is no longer
an organized society. II IL a disor-
snniEcd. starving and miserable mass
OF humanity. The Austr0-Hungarlan
smpire IL poyerty-stricken hungry.
and sesthing with revolution. War,
Wholesale murder. and deportation
have abolished civilization In half the
balkan peninsula The Germans are
not only hungry and dcelmated by
var. but brutalixed BY the teachings
Of nendiah leadership TN little but
the buildings remain % give them
claim 10 civilization.
Out 81 the IRE the spirit OF Britain
and France Is a higher spirit than
ever before. but millions OF the young
men are dead. ON the old. the young.
ths cripplos and the we'll survivors OF
she war lies the burden OF paying the
Aeayy debt Of lighting the war and
nullding the machinery OF material
weii-being anew.
Europe h cursed with the wreck OF
var And most Of Asia Is bordering
on anarchy. Aslatic Russia ~ prac-
Ideally without government. The mil
lions OF China are BcethinR with dis
conteni. RevolutiOn-torrible In It's
Numbers aud Ia lts yiolence-ls I'M
minent all over that unsettled. un-
happy country.
The fabric OF civilization Is dialn-
teErating while IL main supporters
are hghting 10 save Il from domination
~ the Germans. By January 1. 1915.
anly belgium. northern France and
part OF Poland had been wrecked by
January 1. 1915. more Of Poland. Ga
kcia and Serbia had been added 10 the
list ny the beginning OF 1917 a vast
slice OF Russia aud Rumania had sue.
cumbed And By 1918 all Russia was
M anarchy aud part OF north Italy had
been oyerrun by war. And all the
while conditions la all the warrine
countries have become harder and
harder and the problem OF rcconstruc'
tion greater and greater.
The vision OF a better world after
mis- war a world OF better democracy
more even distribution OF wealth. op.
On diplomacy. fair dealings between
nRtioua. and fewer wars-thiu yiaiof
y harder aud harder OF realization
every DAY a nnal victory over th'
Germans h delayed Until the Ger
man military power h. destroyed an,
the German will to rob made impo
tent. any attempt at reconstitutinl
civilization anew h hopeless. An,
the longer Il takes TO defeat German,
the harder this task with Russia
china and Mexico bordering on blood,
anarchy and all the nations bleeding
and hardened with debt. the making
or a neN and better order would be
~sfupendous task n the road were clea.
o. the German threat and We cOul'
40 az o. n the task 10 not to set i'm
~msasurably NOR difficult before VA
rei to i. We must beat the German.
thoroughly and quickly The struggle
t0 save civilization is a struggle
against time a. we'll a. against th'
Germans. The Worlds Work