The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1919-06-19
SEN. LODGE POINTS OUT
LESSONS TO AMERICA
Reforms Must Come Slowly by Evolution
Present Conditions May Be En-
dargged by "Vainly Striv-
ing for Glittering I'm
possibility"

Cambridge, Mass, June To-. Lessons
for America in Germany's military ag-
gressiOn following years Of effort to-
ward world peace and in Russia's boil
sheyist rule were emphasized in an adj
dress here to-day by United States Sen
ator Lodge of Massachusetts, chairman
of the Senate foreign relations com
mittee, at the commencement exercises
of Harvard university.
/ Destruction Of Germany's war power
Senator Lodge declared, now is the best
guarantee Of world peace. Misery
wrought by bolshevism in Russia, he as
serted, proves that reforms must come
| slowly, by evolution and that present
conditions may be endangered ''by vain
~ striving for glittering impossible
| ity"
Mr. Lodge made no direct reference to
the peace treaty or the league Of ma
tions, but in discussing peace efforts and
Germauy's course. he said
AT the close of the last century there
was a quite general belief that serious
wars would not come again. Some doubt
ed and for their skepticism were called
'jingoes,' war lovers and 'pessimists.'
But almost everyone felt sure that If
war should again break upon us its hor-
rors would be reduced to the lowest point
and that by the conventions of Geneva
and The Hague, the sufrerings and cruel
ties Of past wars would be largely elimi.
mated.
Suddenly the war came. Germany, es-
teemed by all highly civilized nation,
entered deliberately upon course of
savage cruelty worse than any ever
imagined because it was carefully or
gained The world had known barbay-
ism before, but never had anything fall
en- upon men comparable TO the scientific,
wholesale atrocities carried on by Ger
many, by which not merely individuals
but entire communities were subjected
To the most hideous sufferings and the
most utter ruin which highly trained
minds entirely destitute of humanity
could devise.
"As for treaties and laws, they went
when spark falls among them,
"The beautiful scheme Of making man
kind suddenly virtuous by state or
written convention was once more ex-
hibited in all its weakness.
at is melancholy reflection that the
best assurance of the future peace of
the world lies in the destruction of the
German war power, which is worth all Il
cost.
"0nce again comes the harsh lesson
that all the advances of man in morals
and in altruism, in charity and gentler
manners and purer laws, all that really
remain with us, come slowly, never in a
moment"
Experience of the past, Senator Lodge
declared, must be a guide to future ac-
ton.
II fervently hope" he said to the Har-
ward graduates, that YOU will have Wis
ions and dreams, but do not forget that
having visions is one thing while being
visionary, especial visionary whose Wis
ions and ideals are stage properties, is
quite another
what troubles me most about the
books and articles and speeches by our
advanced thinkers setting forth new
panaceas and systems for all the evils
is that they are generally so very old,
fact apparently disregarded by their
authors, who very properly despise
past which only rises up to be trouble
some"
Russian bolshevism Mr. Lodge said. in
conclusion. presents a warning to Amer
lea in its awful results of scheme
which authors pretended and their dupes
believed would make all men happy in
moment"
"In letters Of fire" said Mr.. Lodge,
'this Russian scene says to us "this way
lies ruin
eDoes the United States tell us trump.
et-tongued that the war in which this
younger generation has died is still the
best hope for mankind and that it must
be preserved as their fathers preserved
and saved it in the days that are gone?
Be Americans first, Americans last and
Americans always. From that firm
foundation you can march on. Abandon
it and chaos will come, as when the civil
izatiou of Rome crashed down in irrem-
sdiable ruin"