Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-08-29
THE
Their Signal Victories Must Inspire Humil.
ity and Awe in Every American
Who Thinks


CLEE is an ecstatically spontaneous
emotion. Humility is necessarily
born of reflection. Il is no light task
for even the cl~earest-headed mortal to
fuse these two feelings, and that is why
a peculiar problem confronts American
readers of this months joyous wal news,
Analysis is sidetracked in the uninter-
rupted Jubilee. The tide of battle has so
definitely swung toward liberty that the
temptation to visualize the final glorious
stages of the war is exceedingly strong.
It is easy to behold America in the
foreground of that picture. The eye OF
ina gination can easily see the millions
ABOUT to be enlisted in the new draft as
a full panoplied army. There is no es-
sential extravaganza in the mental scene.
We know that this second army will be
raised as soon as possible. We know
also that there are hundreds of thousands
of our troops in Europe who will be
thrown into action as the plans of Foch
mature. We know also that the wealth,
resources and energy of this country al
ready have counted superbly in the strug-
gle, and we are entirely justified in as
Stunning that their subsequent role will
be one of grandeur.
Bat it is possible to entertain these
stimulating thoughts tctthout assuming
an attitude of "swank" or bousting. The
danger of dwelling on them too insist
emily lies in the fact that events of the
present may be misinterpreted by the
contemplation of the future. To keep
our heads it is salutary to reflect on the
current drama in Flanders and Picardy.
To do so judiciously necessitates the
leaven of humility in our glee.
For the triumphs noW croWding on
each others heels on the western front
are being 1oon not By the meW giant IN
the strife, but BY the heroes and the
brothers of heroes Vho haze for four
years battled Nth the forces of darkness.
The Homeric scene, If rightly viewed, is
enough to make even the most efficient
American meek.
Since our entrance into the war eight
divisions from this country have been
in the fray. We scored at Cantigny, at
Chateau-Thierry and other critical points.
But by the very exigencies of the situa-
ton we have been pupils. The masters
of war, by whose illustrious example we
hope to profit, have been the almost ex-
elusive victors since Haig broke the
Amiens front on August s and Mangin
seconded his operation further south.
~, rio MI ,,,,, &b,.a 80 o,aJ. ~,
triotic American who would for a moment
dispute this fact. But zoe do entertain the
feeling that repeated emphasis of it is
good for q lusty nation planning to
sguure accounts Uith the Kaiser.
The miracles which the t~ireless troops
of France and Britain have lately per-
formed and the zest with which the re-
made Italian army played havoc with
the Austrian offensive on the Piave
earlier in the summer are, in a strict
military sense, disassociated with the
American effort. Our admiration for
these achievements cannot be expended
too freely.
Some idea of what the British are doing
today may be derived from a COMPARE
son of the present second battle of the
Somne with the first. In the first long
drawn-out and bloody campaign the
English won back forty-four square
miles of land in the period between July
l and October 81, 1916. Soldiers under
the same flag reclaimed 116 square miles
this year between August 81 and August
%! Before such almost superhuman
valor and skill the attitude of a new aHy
might nceI be something akin to reverence.
Wonder is merged in that feeling as
one thinks of Foch. Words cannot paint
the splendor of his accomplishments: In
calmer days history will analyze it, and
detailed explanations of how the world
vas saved for civilization in 1918 will
be at hand. But the large aspect of the
case admits of nc revision. The indefa-
tigable armies which we shall aid won
clear and decisive victories by their own
sheer ability and power. As zoe are
linked With such experts, even the
greatest republic WiH lose nothing in
dignity by seasoning Nth a new sense
of humility its pride and joy.