Norwich bulletin., 1919-03-05


from inquiry and discussion. and 1
think everybody here present will
agree with me that Germany would
never have gone to war if she had
permitted the world to discuss the ag-
gression upon Serbia for single
week.
THE British foreign office suggest
ed, II pleaded that there might be
day or two delay so that the repre-
sentatives of the nations Of Europe
could get together and discuss the
possibilities of a settlement. Germany
did not dare permit a day discussion.
You know what happened. So soon
the world realized that an outlaw was
at large the nations began CDe by one
to draw together against fer.
I'VE know for a certainty that if
Germany hal thought for a moment
that Great britain wOuli &C in with
France and with Russia she never
would have undertaken the enterprise
and the league of nations is meant 0;
notice to all outlaw nations that not
only Great Britain. bur the United
States and the rest Of the world will
go in to stop enterprises of that sort.
And so the league of rations is moth
ing more nor less than the covenant
that the world will always maintain
the standards which it mas row vindi-
Gated by some of the most precious
blood ever split
The liberated peoples OF the Aus
tro- Hungarian empire and of the
Turkish empire call uot 20 US for this
thing. It has not arisen in the coun-
Gil of statesmen. Europe is bit sick
at heart at this very moment, be-
cause it sees that statesmen have had
no vision. ani that the only vision has
xricr nf 10
who suffer sec. Those against whom
wrong is wrought know low desira
BILE is the right and the righteous.
THE nations that have lcng be?n
under the neel OF the Austrian that
have long covered before The Ger
man that have long suffered the in
describable aGonies Of beiDs govern
| ed by the Turk, have called cut to the
world. generation after generation, for
| Justice. for Iteration. for GuccOr; and
| no cabinet IN the word has heard
them.
Private organizat tions. plying
hearts philanthropic men and women
have poured out their treasure in Or
der. to relieve these sufferings; but no
nation has said to the nations respon-
sible You must stop; this thing IS
intolerable and we will not permit
And the visi01 has been with the peo
pie.
MY friends. I wish you you'd reflect
upon this proposition. The vision as
| to which is ,OCeSSary Tor great re-
| forms has seldom come frln the top
| in the nations of the word. 1t has
come from the need and the aspiration
and the self~asSert-~n of great bodies
| of men who meant 10 be flee. And /
can explain some of he criticisms
| which have been levelcl against this
great enterprise only by the SUPPOSE
! ton that the men who utter the criti-
| cisns have never felt the great pulse
| Of the heart of the world.
"And / am amazed-not alarmed
! but amazed that there should be in
some quarters such a comprehensive
| ignorance of the state of the world.
| These gentlemen do not know what
the mind of men is just now. Every
body else does. ! do not know where
they have been closeted; ! do not
know by what influences they have
been blinded, but 1 do know that
they have been separated from the
general currents of the thoughts OF
mankind.
"And l want to utter this solemn
warning, not in the way of threat;
the forces of the world do not
threaten, they operate. The great
tides of the world do not give
tice that they are going to rise and
run: they rise in their majesty and
overwhelming might, and those who
|, stand in the way are overwhelmed
Now the heart of the world is awake
and the heart of the world must be
satisfied.
Do not let yourselves suppose fol
| a moment that the uneaSinesS in the
populations of Europe is due entireIy
, to economic causes or economic mc
, tives. Something very much deeper
, underlies it all than that
They see that their government
- have never been able to defend then
against intrigue or aggression, anc
that there is no force of foresight
4 or of prduence in any modern cabi-
o net to stop war. And therefore they
y say: There must be some funda
8 mental cause for this and the fun.
O damental cause they are beginning tt
- | perceive to be that nations haV,
o stood singly or in little Jealous
. groups against each other, fosterinl
c prejudice, increasing the danger O
. war, rather than concerting measure
n to prevent it: and If there is right il
the world, If there is justice in tn
- world, there is no reason why ma
d tons should be divided in the supper
n VI JUSTICE
o "They are therefore saying If yo,
= really believe that there is a right i
n you really believe that wars ought t
4 be stopped, stop thinking abou
o the rival interests of nations, an
q think about men and women an
q children throughout the world.
Nations are not made to affor
e distinction to their rulers by way
o success in the manoeuvres of poll
Is tics; nations are meant if they ar
: meant for anything tn make the me
a and women and children in them S
l. cure and happy anu prosperous, and n
VI nation has the right to set up il
" special interests against the interest
Is and benefits of mankind, least of a
n this great nation which we love.
l. ut was set up for the benefit {
= mankind; 1t was set up to illustrat
l. the highest ideals and to achieve til
lie highest aspirations Of men who wan
h ed to be free; and the world-tf
le world of today believes that ar
10 counts on us. and would be throw
q back into the blaekness of despa
III II we deserted Il
II have tried once and again,
Is fellow citize.s, w a,. - ,..e circlt
ut of friends or to larger bodies, VIII;
le seems to be the real hope of the PEI
lg pies Of Europe, and ! tell you franl
Of ly have not been able to do SO b.
lg cause when the thought tries to CROW
(itseff into speech, the profound emf
n tipH Of the thing L. 100 ynucl