Arizona republican., 1919-11-11
The Year Of the Armistice


II was year ago this morning that the world
war ended: a year ago that the last shot was fired
nv a despairng autocracy which had abandoned hope
that the four-vear struggle would give it control of
the world
The flames on all the other battle fronts had sub
sided. there was here and there glow of embers
which were aferward to break out into fires that we
MIGHT have called wars but for the memory Of
that great conflict which had dwarfed all previous
struggles of men.
But for some months men have been asking, Was
the arnistic really the beginning of the end? And
WAS the peace conference providing for peace, or
only effecting truce an extension of the armistice
during which the exhausted nations might recover
themselves and remove a part of the debris of four
years?
An answer whether a correct one or not is found
in Count Czernin's Revelations" just made
public
versailles is not the end of the war, it is only
hase of it. The war will continue, if in altered
form I believe that coming generations will not call
The great drama ruled the world for five years
The world war but the world revolution and will
know that the world revolution only began the war
Neither Versailles ST. German will create
any lasting work. In this peace there lies the germs
Of death The cramps that twist Europe are not de-
creasng Like the great earthquake, the underground
rumble continues. But other generations will arise
and will reconstruct what and revolution have
DESTROYED Each winter followed by spring and the
eternal law will prevail that resurrection follows
death"
Though the war ended a year and though
the rehabilitation Of the American forces is prac-
ticaIy complete it is too soon yet to estimate the
effect of the struggle upon this country It has
tanly though not had the sweeping effect that the
most of us predicted. It has left in most essen
tial respects as it found u.s. of thought that
its purgatorial fires would purify us; that
he drawn closer to one another. We do not think
that has been a result Of the
We expected that boys would back
from the age-old battlefelds of Europe where
Caesar had struggled against the Gauls the Germans
and the Helvetians; where Charles Martel had ham
mered back the barbarans; where the soil through
the darg ages had been kept in a state of satura-
ton; where England and France had struggled and
where later France and Spain had fought for the
dominion Of Europe; had thought that from
these places boys would back mracuously
made over
But the wrought miracles that we may
believe that the age Of miracles is indeed past Our
boys have back for the most part more manly,
and better citizens with higher sense of response
billty. That think due rather to their train
ing than to their experiences abroad. That look III
their faces. which palptang story writers have de-
scribed, of those who have gazed upon things too
dreadful to be forgotten or told is a myth Our bows
have those things and have participated in them
all part of the days work They have surprised
themselves well the world by their courage and
endurance But the did give them that cour-
age a spirit; it only furnished an opportunity
for exhibition Of what in them.
They have retaken their places among us. much
the same places they left, and they are much the
same boys. II prouder of them the living ant
the dead it is only because know them better
It is yet to be whether the nations which
saved the world have been drawn more closely to
gether that the peril is past The post arrnistic
year has indicated that it has been so drawn to
gether do we believe that another year will h
informing that point
Great changes, physical and mental have bee,
wrought in all the European countries which tool
part in the and far we can yet observe tn
changes have not been for the better Now that tn
furry is over perceive little or no change il
the United States. And should we after all feel dis
appointment? Had not the United States and -
people for 40 years been making satisfactory nro
gress? Who would want such chance as q csta
clysm would produce?