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

moment, not IN nigh schooi debate as 10 WHICH
was the greater but for the lessons that they have
left to the troublous present. AS between them
nothing can be said diminishing the glory or
either Each had his work to perform and per-
formed Loyalty and we'll Each age has its own
problems, and never age has dotted the pages
of history but has ushered forth its great leaders,
if by direction of all-wse Providence, to
guide it through its storms.
The sons of the Cos proved themselves the
equals of the fathers of '76 IN leadership, In
craftsmanship, and in all true soldiery qualities
For fifty years previous to the outbreak OF the
rebellion, we had built all monuments to
Washington, and talked of the heroes of Bunker
hill.
Even Clay and Webster looked into the past
for their illustrations of valor and patriotism and
when, at length these great men died, the people
all said 'Ah! the giants are dead. Pigmies
alone remain"
Never In the history of all the world was pes
Smism more at premium than at the Inaugural
ton of Abraham Lincoln, followed by the firing
on Fl Sumter.
The grass was to grow in the streets of New
York
A planter was to assemble his slaves on Bunker
hill.
ball was to be conducted by the rebels in the
white house.
The south was prepared for war; the north
wholly unprepared. After the firing of the first
shot, the south was united In purpose and
tment; the north, never-not even to this day.
1t was the case of the southern gentleman
against the northern yankee; chlvalrous people
of military tastes and habits a northern
population, largely of foreign birth or lineage
industrious, peace-loving, democratic.
Our enemies boldly predicted our financial
ruin. France and England to afford the
secessionists timely aid with men and money
but gold mines, and silver mines, and petroleum
wells offered their services to the Union warning
from which to the outside powers conquered
avarice when the crisis came, and secure
In that direction.
Lincoln was confronted by pretty much the
same problems as confront the president of now;
was blamed for conditions and predicaments,
real, fancied and fabricated, which he had
absolutely no control-same as was Washington.
MOMENTUM gained from the popular clamor
4'A for immediate success In every war, has been
the bane of military leaders, calling forth ranting
criticism, abuse intrigue, throughout the pages of
history. The trained militarist understanding
this mental unbalance of the people, prepares to
handle it same he arranges to equip his army,
and usually strikes out for few early and bril-
liant victories calculated to hold that unbalance
In check-camoufiage it-until the war has pro-
ceeded far enough for the exercise of settled,
fair. popular judgment.
Three types of people have ever been the I'M
settlers of popular opinion in communities at
war; the cynics, apostles of Anhsthenes; the
super-egoists III modern Parlance, disciples of
Nietzsche: and then, the Mysteries, victims of
'hysteria.''
AS wars wear on, the school of Zeno opens its
DOORS and the stocS usher FORTH under the in
fluence of which, from such tirre forward, deter
mination YIELDS high, and thoughts of only an
ultimate success, with less consideration for self
interest, settles the populace down, civilian as
well as soldier, to their real task.
The cynics the super-egoists, and the hyster-
icsl more than once jeopardized the revolution
and fhRxyr bar, 1Izpd fha aNeI-
lion, and more than once brought Washington
and Lincoln to dependency.
Washington had his Gaseses, his Lees, his
Mullins, his Adamses, his Rushes, and his Con
way Cabel"
Lincolr had his Stewards, Chases and Camerons
in the cabinet, and his ValIandinghams Davises,
Greeleys and Chicago Illnesses, in congress and
out of it, stirring up the country.
Washington's winter at Valley Forge-and
other instances might be given-Was the result of
nothing more less than the embarrassment
of super-egosts, traitors, and hysterical folk at
home, who wouldn't fight to their souls, and
were either jealous of Washington's leadership,
were finding the even tenor of their ways too
much nterfered with IN the support of the army,
to care much to continue the struggle-at
much personal loss; some of them IN political ad-
vantage and others in treasure.
Thomas Paine, despised for his religious be-
lefs In after years did by his Crisis" for the
revolution-saved it and saved Washington; even
his Common Sense pre-wTote the declaration
of independence. He was the author hero, who
put freedom and independence first and turning
the public mind into stoical mould, made Wash
ington's eventual success possible.
I INCOLN had his Med McCormicks, who re-
l. turned after brief battlefield visits with bushels
of speeches. articles and other testimony, proving
how wrong and futile the presidents course of
action had proven,-and neither were they all Of
the onnnsition nnIitical faith Even William