New-York tribune., 1919-02-24
The Costs of Pacifisrn

The civil war in Germany, which
threatens to throw her into an abyss of
anarchy, is part of the heavy price the
world and Germany herself are paying
for listening to the counsels of pacifsm.
We behold the latest addition to bill
grow larger unless there is q reversal Of
policy. Prayers should arise for clearer
light to shine in the dark minds of mud
died statesmen, leading them to the ap-
prehension Of truths that will make US
free and open the way to the resstabish-
ment Of real peace
Germany's internal troubles are direct
ly traceable to the failure Of the Allies
to occupy the principal places Of Ger
many-occupation for the double purpose
Of maintaining order and of securing the
great ends for which the war was waged.
Profound wisdom was behind the dis
regarded demand Of our soldiers, "On to
Berlin!" Our President, largely respon-
sible for it's rejection, assumed q weighty
responsibility when he bent his ear to
pacifst advice.
The advance would have been Of great
benefit to Germany as we'll as to the
world. 1t was too much to expect a coun-
try exhausted and disorganized by war
such as this one has been suddenly to
alter long-established institutions and set
up in a few days stable government.
Average human nature is not capable of
such a miraculous achievement. When
Germany was defeated grave internal
troubles were certain unless the Allied
soldiers were present to preserve order.
The German republic has had no fair
chance.
The occupation was not only essential
while the new machinery was being put
in running order, but would have per-
ritted a safe lifting of the blockade and
feeding of the German masses. AS nor
NAL conditions, gradually restored, came
to German areas evacuation would have
occurred.
Ignorant pacifsm, lacking brains to
adopt means to attain the ends it sought,
has distilled it's poison into controlling
minds with frightful consequences. The
war would have been over two years be-
fore it was had this country entered
when the White Papers and Bernhard
revealed the German plan. It was as clear
then as now that the world must round
up and subdue wild beast which was at
large.
But paciflsm confused many minds
The Henry Fords, misreading the plain
demands Of true humanitarianism, could
not see gigantic wrong was afoot and
that the only way to avoid completely
with it was to fight it. Adroit pam
phleteers induced many to believe the
war merely a struggle between imperial
istlc rivals, both about equally wrong.
The President was so muddled, he said
"a statement he has never formally
Withdrawn or apologized for-that if any
wished such a one would tell him.
Then came the trying period, still with
us, when the preachment was not to
crush" Germany-as if any one wished
10 crush Germany as such or to do more
tnan to crush the evil Germany was do
lng-and the pinnacle Of unwisdorn
yuna
signed- Pacifsm, continuing to impede.
was strong enough to secure conditions
winch have led inevitably to more trouble
Is the world never TO see an end os +ho
puerllities Of pacifsm? The crucifxjon
OF France, the chaos Of Prussia. the
wounds of Russia, the misery Of southern
EUROPE, the disintegration Of Germany
are not these sufficient harvest Can
IL not be seen that an unwilingness to
lace and act according to the instruction
given By simple facts is the main obstacle
70 the creation OF a league of peace? Is
not the President aware that the criti-
cism OF the peace plan he Ia advocating
is energized by digtrust Of his tendency
70 listen to and act through men who
have never seen the war? This fact was
clearly enough shown in last November's
election.
To occupy Germany now presents more
difficulties than occupation did three
mcnths ago. But occupation is by no
is necessar qet as hope the pacifsts viii
for once NIT a definite defeat. No at