The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-06-29
EVILS OF AN UETHTHKTNG
IDElLISM.
Are We 10 Forgot the litter Lessons
TAUGHT BIZ the wsri


To IKE EDITOR or THE sUN--sir: The
age long conflict between phiiosophic
idsSnsm and materialism. has existed
solely IN the minds Of the unthinking:
Plato began where Democritus left on.
The true ideaifst In not a sickiy senti-
rlentaiist, with his feet OF the ground,
hoping for the impossible. but 10 PER
son who, after careful analysis Of a
problem into Its elements, synthetizes a
Logical structure in harmony with ex-
rcrience and the humanity attainabie.
Grade crossing accidents are frequent
and rssrettabls; would a league for
their prevention prove effective II motor
lists continue careless and recitlessiy
willing &c take chances7 Housewife
leagues organized with n view to re-
ducing the cost Of living accomplish
nothing and generally end In a row. War
Is calamity. but will q league OF
Est tons abolish TT Will IL not rather In
the end precipitats q frightful war
through effort to maintain a state of in
herentiy unstable equilibrium and pre-
tence Of International friendIiness where
none exists!
II the causes and conditions which
produced the world war are not elm
mated no permanent Improvement In In
ternational relations need be expected;
attempts to compose international differ
ences will be seemingly successful solely
because the structural strain has not
reached or surpassed It's peculiar limit
OF elasticity. Let US therefore investi-
gate the nature of war.
War IL rarely the fruit Of innate hu-
man perversity or Ignorance, but 10 more
often the result Of tendencies In the d.
rection Of social completely and q sup
posedly civiliziug industriaiinn. Indi-
vidual or dynastic ambition. religious
hatred. race prejudice, nationalism. eco
nornic strain and reckless commercial
ism have all played their part In the
history Of International strife. Ma
tionaiism is becoming a menace TO an
extent that has not been witnessed since
the time of the ancient Grecian democ-
racies
II Is proper. therefore. to analyxe the
recent war and possible future wars in
the light OF economic determinism. The
fighting which started in August, 1914,
was the lucrative stage OF an infiamma-
ton which had persisted with growing
acuteness for a period OF nearly nifty
years The next European war was
on every ones tongue. The high dis
count rates at the central banks IN Ber-
lin and Vienna and a tightening money
market in all the principal commercial
centres of the world were prophetic Of
coming disaster. Both Germany and
nrff In 1ad II 80
be self-supporting. and while their for
eign commerce grew both nations be-
came dangerously dependent on foreign
sources for their food supply It IL
unnecessary for our present purposes
to discuss the disastrous effect OF the
exploitation Of the German credit by
the great cartels and syndicates or Ger
many's peculiar trade methods. since Il
suff,ces to observe that growth of popui
lat.on beyond the ability Of the soil to
support IL always invites disaster. In
tensive agriculture, foreign commerce
and highly specialized industry may
postpone the day Of reckoning, but In
the end nature collects her bill. Many
thought that International dependence
would make war impossible. 1t was this
II the population of the world con-
J t!lues to increase indefinitely Mt the
present rate and the Industrial arts con-
| tinue to expand at the expense OF agri-
culture, a fearful calamity In the not
| IA distant future is inevitable. The
fertile regions OF the earth are OF lin
| tied extent. A cheap and practical
method for the 6xation of atmospheric
nitrogen would accomplish more in the
| direction Of permanent peace than any
| other conceivable invention or course Of
| action. unless IL be voluntary and world
wide race suicide. In the face OF this
,neluctable pressures It is useless 10
| discuss the probable eject of league
| Of nations. to talk nonsense about maxi
Ing the world safe for democracy. or TO
ascribe self-righteous and hypocritical
r1otives for our entrance into the world
war. II the human race wishes TO sur
SivA Il must solve some very real prob
! ltns in the light OF experience and the
| atta!nable. ALBERT r GALLArIX.
New YORK, June IS.