The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1919-02-26
POOR BUILDERS

The revolutionists in Russia and in European countries who
made so much noise, and who were so successful in tearing
create. They have been bidding along at government building
Tor some time, and have made small progress. They seem to
have become so infatuated with the work of demolition that
they cannot keep from razing such incomplete structures as
they themselves rear. They can produce chaos, but a stable and
symmetrical cosmos is beyond their powers. They are like the
man who interrupts the orderly proceedings of a public meeting
Tor the purpose of making a speech, and when the opportunity
IS given him, forgets what he intended saying and must sit
down amid the confusion which he has created. Their inepti-
tude is really pathetic. In the work of destruction they have
removed many ancient and intolerable evils, and they have not
the skill or power to replace them with what is good. The
policy Of assassination that has been inaugurated in Teutonic
countries is not encouraging, A people grown desperate never
know when TO quit. They began by taking life, which they
seem to look upon as the panacea or catholicon for all ills, and
when their progress is obstructed in any way, they resort to
more kilings-more blood-letting.
Mob violence as a permanency is an impossibilty 1t must
soon die out. 1t is a fire that soon consumes the fuel on which
1t feeds, leaving only a residue of cinders and ashes, mute wit
nesses to its inefficiency and fatuousness. All right thinking
people would rejoice to see Poland and Armenia, as we'll as the
other d~isorganized countries, pull themselves together and each
build for itself a %congruous and coherent government; but there
is reason to fear that hope deferred will make the heart Of the
peace conference sick, and that the friends and well-wishers Of
these countries will be driven to despair. In the very worst
form Of government there is some good that is to be preferred
to anarchy or no government at all, and a new form Of govern
ment cannot be expected to leap into perfection at one bound,
or that an organic compact, designed to serve the many, can
please every individual. 1t should be given time and a fair trial
Patience is an old virtue, but it is not yet dispensable. People
must still retain and practice it, Individual selt-restraint is
necessary under any government, and without it no government
can be successful The individual who cannot restrain and
control himself as such cannot unite with other individuals and
carry on a free government. And herein lies the chief trouble.
People who have suffered long under a despotc or miltaristc
government are not ripe for selfgovernment, According to our
theory, all governments derive their just powers from the con
sent OF the governed. The governed must be capable of con-
senting and Of acting as a unit. 1t will not do for individuals or
groups to antagonize all others there must be amity and intellr-
gent conference. Book learning, or literacy, will not suffice, else
Germany could organize a republic at one sitting. She IS the
most educated nation in Europe, or in the world. She IS handr-
capped by the gross individual ~selfshness OF her people.
The peace conference has told Russia that she must discover
her own salvation and settle her domestic affairs among her
own people. Other countries must learn to do likewise. Unless
they can do this they are not fitted for sef-government. They
must make the effort, and keep on trying until they lind the
way. The most advanced countries had to do this. There is no
royal or short road to freedom. These people must learn that
their government can be no better than they are, and that they
must improve themselves if they expect to attain to the higher
planes of civilization. 1t is a case Of do it yourself, and do it
now.