The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1919-01-30
5 Nelson Terrace,
Barnstaple, England,
December 29, 1918.


Your letter came TO hand yester-
day with the interesting items con.
corning our kith and kin across the
seas. The seas divide, but our senti-
ments are united.
First, let me wish you and yours
(if | have not done so already a
very happy New Year. We shall
start 1919 under very different
auspices TO 1918, when the incubus
of war lay very heavy upon us, but
which we were resolved 10 carry
through TO a successful termination,
cost what il might. The end has
come, but with what a price TO our.
selvesl And yet, we should not
shirk the trial, if the dire necessit,
again arose. There are some
things more desirable than peace:
even honor. justice, and right.
Now the fruits OF victory remain
to be harvested. God grant that the
victories of peSce may be even
more successful. assured, and per
manent. than those of war: ire
mendous as the latter have been.
I quite agree with you, Germany
is in parlous state. and equally the
same may be said OF her misled
confereres. The conditions, too, pre-
vailing in Russia are extremely OBJ
scure. To me it portends a need of
watchfulness, indeed extreme watch
fulness. from the Allies. The end
is not yet, and il we have to send
more troops into Germany. Austria.
and Russia, shall not be surprised.
This awful Bolshevism. which is
trying TO clutch the vitals of men,
as a change TO Kaiserism. militar-
ism. and so-called burgoisism.
seems more terrible than any mons
ter that has yet materialised. The
horrors Of the French Revolution
lawful as they were) were mild
and but as a picnic compared TO the
lengths men now are committing
themselves for phantom-power, and
other mems goods and chattles.
Shall we see a resurrected society.
and purer one, arise from the
debris? Only time can prove, but
just at present it is an awful "whirl-
gig" leading only to God only knows
where; sometimes, TO our limited
horizon nothing but blind alleys:
but
God works in a mysterious way,
etc, etc"
We should often be very hopeless.
but for. this. Now you say, you. and
many on your side, were doubtful
as TO the wisdom of Woodrow Will
son coming to Europe. We in the
Did country have never questioned
the good sense in the step, either
as means TO solution of the diff
ilculties which may arise at the
Peace Conference. or as a cement
ing Of the good-relationships be-
tween the two branches Of our race.
with their common tongue, laws,
literature, and unanimity as to
freedoms responsible claims. De-
pend on il, his (WW.'s) coming
will all be to the good, and history !
will acclaim il as such. The ques-
ion most prominent (or apparently |
'O) seems TO be that of the Freedom
If the Seas" | do not think this is
likely to produce friction. Uncle
sam knows only too well, we have |
lever used our Silent Navy. but 10
preserve the oceans for all who
hose TO use them legitimately. |
We protected the weak, and often
Afforded opportunities 10 the strong |
las witness our free trade prOcliv-
ties and our free ports detrimental
% our own interests. At any rate, |
10 say |, who am professedly, no
politician, but merely an observer
The President cannot complain OF
MS reception in this country. We
ire usually voted a phlegmatic race.
with some reason. but we
appear 10 have let ourselves loose /
or once, and have risen TO the-oc-
'asiOn. | wonder if old King George
III be sentient being, and have any
Ognisance Of things mundane and
mortal, what the old chap must
hink Of the tail Of his horse wide
he equestrian statue in LOndon) be-
ng bedecked with "Old Glory" ! am
linking il would be a ease Of hurt
ng his feelings, poor old fellow"
| am deeply interested in Wood
'ow Wilson's oratOry. II affords
ne much pleasure, instruction ami
God for thought. I am told he took
mr. Edmund Burke as his exemplar,
nd studied his literature well.
have lately been moving out some
4 the old books in my small library.
s altho. an OmniverOus reader of
lotion, | have been pretty sick OF
| lately. | am now reading "rele-