Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1919-03-20

Hotel McA1pln, New York City.
Capt. Chamberlain voiced the same
sentiment that we have expressed
several times, that this ideal is big
ger than any man or any party; that
neither idolatry Of a great political
phrase-maker nor dislike of him
should influence public judgment or
determination. The world is for an
end to everything miIitaristie, and is
determined that greed. and politics,
and class cussedness shall not evade
it. The world demands that it be re-
lieved of the burden of militarism. Of
supporting military drones and pro-
fessional trouble hunters. of paying
for great implements. outfits and
munitions. only good for destructive
purposes or to be destroyed, Of the
domineering and intoIerant presence
of the army and navy organization
spirit.
The world has had enough Of it
and has rebelled. The American
slogan was down with Prussian
militarism!" But the Prussian brand
was no worse than any other 1t is
all off the same piece, for even the
youngest and cleanest of them all.
the American system, has shown in
one short year evil enough to damn
it for all eternity.
We are. then, at the point where
the job of those who see the light is
to prevent either the enemies or
friends Of league of nations from
destroying the chances of it's fullest
attainment. We may be wrong
Certainly we are not prejudiced by
politics in this case) but to US it ap-
pears that President Wilson is doing
more to defeat a league of nations
than all It's opponents. He should
have had the ablest men of the
United States Senate, regardless Of
politics, working with him to con-
struct a league of nations that all
Americans could accept in conf
dence: that all Europe would know
represented American sentiment
To the contrary he appears deter
mined to drive through a plan of his
own. even in the knowledge that it
will not be ratified by the United
States Senate. and by that attitude
he has at last fully aroused the dis
trust of European statesmen.
1t is useless to pretend that human
intelligence is incompetent to frame
laws FOR civilizations government
without the aid of wholesale murder
And if the high purpose for which
our sons gave their lives is de-
feated by diplomacy" after the
sacrifice. then indeed has the devil
triumphed through the greed of
military interests and the collision
Of rulershipe that betray the masses.
The smashing of Prussianism gave
the opportunity for ending all war
and the dumping Of war preparation.
If we accomplish that we shall have
won the war; if we fail through the
vanities greeds and political ext
gencies of individuals. classes and
parties then we had better have kept
our sons that lie in the soil OF
France for defense of our homes in
the future.
AS to men like Borah, who boast
of the superiority of their judgments
over those of the Saviour the world
has known them since the Crucifixion
1t was of such as these that He said,
Father. forgive them; for they
know not what they do Herod
with his MEN OF WAR Knocked
Him: while PLATE with the CHIEF
PRIESTS AND RULERS listened to
the mob because it was good politics.
We have our Herods and our
Pilates today. They are listening to
the bolsheviki Of greed and class
hatred. and would cruelty. by subter-
fuge and pretense, the possibility of
a document more far-reaching than
the revision of the Bible, Magma
Charta. or the Declaration of Inde-
pendence.