The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1919-12-26

1
| burdens of the world. 1t is recogniz-
| ing the fact that I'VE are members
one Of another and governing our
| selves accordingly. Said Woodrow
Wilson: I'VE are participants,
whether We would or not, in the life
OF the world The interests of all ma.
tions are our own also. We are part.
ners with the rest" "The world has
right TO be free from every disturb.
aggression and disregard of the rights
of people and nations" The principle
of public right must hencefoTth take
precedence over the individual iterests
of particular nations. and (that) the
nations of the world must in some way
band themselves together to see that
right prevails as against any sort
lof selfish aggression"
After all, ones views on this great
question must be determined, in the
last analysis by another question:
What is ones goal for mankind? If
we have no goal; if there is no pur-
pose in human life and no philosophy
of history, or, religiously speaking, no
Divine plan; if there is no part for ma
tons to play in reference to the whole
and to the future of all mankind.
then, OF course, there is no forward
movement; and the very idea of pro-
gress-which must mean movement
towards some desired ends only
delusion But the common sense and
common instincts of humanity are on
the side, in vague and general way,
Of moving forward to better and still
better things. l personally believe
that the only true idea of progress is
gained ~ taking as our goal the final
establishment of the Kingdom of God
on the earth, the ultimate reign OF
righteousness, peace and joy" But
of that perhaps, another time. Just
now let US ask ourselves the question,
What relations would We like to see
prevail between the different nations
and peoples of the world? Do We de
sire antagonism or harmony? Cut
throat competition or cooperation
and mutual helpfulness? Shall his
tory from this on be a sort of Kilken
NY cat fight, resulting in extermina-
ton or in a continuous approach to
human brotherhood? Shall we look
forward, with the et-prophet to the
coming time when
"The war drums throb no
longer and the battle
flags are furled,
IN the parliment Of MAN,
the federation of the
WORLD"
If that, or something like that is
what we long for, then some sort Of
getting together of the nations is nee
-essary. There need be no limitations
upon the rights of any nation except
to forbid the doing of those things
which they have no business doing
anyway.
II is all absurd that there is really
any fundamental inconsistency be-
tween the interests of one nation and
another; or that liberty and freedom
are to be found in isolation and antag
nism. Just as the highest and fullest
freedom of the individual man is to be
found, not in a so-called state Of, or on
Robinson Crusoe Island of isolation,
but in right relations with his fellow
men in social state; in the same wav,
the fullest development of any people
is to be found in fellowship.
Finally, admitting that there ought
to be-a League of Nations some time
or other, is the present the time for
attempting it? Was Morgenthau right
about the present necessity for for.
ward movement, as he was undoubt-
edly right about the past? The ques
ton answers itself 1t would be a
waste of time to urge the matter. The
world is one, for the first time, in con-
scoiusness and in fact, by reason of
world wide commerce, means of trans.
portation and communication, and as
result of the world war All great
wars. indeed, set loose new forces re-
curing to be gathered up and directed
to the right ends, and raise new prob
, lens demanding solution. One good
answer to our question was given a
few days ago in an address delivered
before the League to Enforce Peace.
Read this and guess who said it: 1--WE
have carried the principle of voluntary
arbitration to its limit, and it is well
to recognise that it has limit, be-
cause when we undertake to put into