Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1920-12-04
Is Democracy Dy;no9

O OMEWHAT cynically a Paris CORE
- spondent inquiries 1.-THE world is now
safe for democracy-but where is de-
mocracy?" In France, he goes on to say,
royalist and imperialist sentiment is strik-
ingly outspoken and blandly countenanced.
The celebration of the Republics fiftieth
anniversary was postponed from September
the fourth to November the eleventh, with
never ripple of popular protest; and when
Armistice day arrived, the Republican fea-
ture of the jubilee 60 effaced lest the feel
ings of those who worshiped at older shrines
of national memory SHOULD be hurt. 1t seems
but few yesterdays since Zola stirring the
heart of the world with his plea for the per-
secuted Dreyfus, wrecked the far-laid plans
Of militarist clique that meant deadly
mischief to french democracy. But now,
"Only few voices speak out to defend the
name of lola, and they are drowned in a
torrent of abuse The Republicans-'Rad-
1cals,' as they are called in French political
nomenclature-are scattered gone the way
of the British Liberal party, through the
passions of wa. 1t has become easy to
trample on the name of lola and to pretend
that his body defies the great hall of
posthumous fame, the Pantheau." Not that
the minds of these assaiIants but Through
him one reach Voltaire Gambetta, Re-
publicanism ITSELF
History is too full of relapses, surprises
and contradictions for one to dismiss as
impossible tn idea of a monarchy's springing
up from Bastile's long-scattered dust.
Strange it woulC be should the land that
paid so red a price for Liberty, Equality
and Fraternity return to the political fash
ion OF its Louis, still is not this planet of
ours given to strange doings? And would it
not be OF the very essence of that irony which
seems inseparable from fate, if a great war
fought and won in the name of democracy
should be followed by Europewide revival
Of the monarchic spirit?
This is imaginable. But it is not the only,
not the simplest, not the most reasonable
line of Interpretation for such phenomena as
the Paris correspondent sets forth. 1t was
but natural that in her emotion of victory
France should gather up Royalsts, Imperial
lists, Republicans and all others, regarding
them no longer as devotees of conflicting
PHILOSOPHERS of government, but children
of her breast-inheritors of a common gran
deur, achievers of a common glory. It was
natural, too, that the reaction from those
iron years of struggle and suffering should
express itself in political as we'll as other as
poets of the nations life. But the laborer
in some goodly task, who pauses at the close
of hard day to jest or scold ROSTER and
then lies down for the night, has not aban-
doned his duty or his faith; he has but
sought the means to sturdier effort on the
morrow France is not turning monarchist
in her fling at republican manners; England
is not going backward in the i'll fortunes of
the Liberal party. The world is not repudi-
ating democracy in its passing wave of po-
litca1 reaction.
In so far as democracy is more than a mere
form and theory, n so far as it is an eX-
preston of social truth and an aid to social
progress, an outgrowth of mans impulse to
kindness and a nourisher of his ideal for
justice-so far FORTH we may confiden-
thy trust, the very stars in their courses
are fighting it's battles