The sun., 1919-01-05

luetAlS, Out lor ptdcc NcfciidoIlnS IL
pOssible) through which We may work out,
unhampered by the tyranny and threats
of aliens, ideals and future all our own.
We are not two peas in pod, but MEM
bers one with another of a great family
and as brothers differ in ambition, so We
differ from the French. The first step
toward q thorough understanding, as NJ.
Rodrigues knows, as his book proves, is
the mutual recognition of the good in
ideals not our own.
Were We in perfect accord with the
French there would be no more reason for
writing a book about Americans for
Frenchmen to read and study than for
writing a book about Iowa for the libra
ries of Illinois. That France in defending
herself saved US from the menace of Ger
man mihtarism was In large part due to
the accident of her position along the
western border of the German Empire,
rot to any desire to make the world safe
for American democracy. That we were
hot greatly concerned or affected by her
self-saeriice three years of so-called
neutrality amply attests-or are we so
slack and stupid that We would allow
our future and our ideals to be well nigh
overwhelmed by the triumphant onsweep
of an opposing and destroying Kultur
without moving finger to protest?
NJ. Rodrigues in his book insists that we
are people whose ideals find their proper
and most important outlet not in art or
ethics or fine spun philosophy, but in
action. If he is right and our future had
been identical with Frances we would
have joined her on the eve of battle, we
Eould have cried out against the invasion
of Belgium. We did nothing. Though
he is right 1--WE are practical idealists), our
DID; We are bound together not by COM
mon ideals, but by a loathing for that
Eestilent thing called Kultur.
We fight side by side against common
foe, but as one officer returning to civil
life takes up banking and another raises
pigs, so we will turn to our own affairs
with the coming of peace. The purpose
of NJ. Rodrigues's volume is to prevent .
misunderstanding, to forestali any ex-
cuse for jealousy when, in more leisure
times, we begin to consider what we owe
the French and what they owe to US. They
will go their ways, We will go ours, and
since our ways will lie in apparently diff
ferent directions, there is a chance that
one will shout FOOL Fool!' after the
other. To avert any such futile exchange
of ineivilities M. Rodrigues has written his
book.
But that his book will have any large
effect upon our mutual understanding
neither he nor l dares to believe. Says
Mr.. Shaw in the preface to Major Bar
bara: 81, who have preached and pam
phleteered like any encyclopedia, have to
confess that my methods are no use and
would be of no use if L were Voltaire,
Rousseau, Bentham, Mill, Dickens, Car
lyle, Ruskin, George, Butler and Morris
all rolled into one" Men are guided by
their bellies or their hearts, never by their
heads. If you have business with the
French you will do your utmost to keep
the peace between us, if you love them las
do) you will avoid any occasion for
hatred, but if you merely think We ought
to keep the peace your influence will be
NIL
Indeed the good 10 be gained from NJ.
Rodrigues's book is shown by the Times
review; she is moved TO an expansive e1-
rlamatiOn of delight, but she understands
The French no better than she did four
years ago last August. The fault, how
ever, does not lie with VI. Rodrigues.