Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-01-17
LATEST WAR SCARE ACCENTS
NEED FOR UNITED PEACE
Americas Delay Favors Both Russian
Projectors of World Conquest and
HYsterlcal TorX Propauandsts

Projectors of World Conquest and
Hysterlcal Tory Propaeandists
ITO AN announcement of hurry-call
l. from Paris for British diplomatists,
add an English semiofficial statement
summarizing perfectly well-known recent
successes of the Russian Bolshevists,
Season with reports of the debut of the
peace league of nations. which, according
to its crit cs, has the power to "plunge the
Of fancy. Bake in the oven of imagina-
ton. Serve in casserole of hysteria-
ware and await indigestion.
That malady seems to have attacked
the chancelleries of western Europe yes
terday. At least it is charitable to so
interpret an amazing exhibition of panic,
and if the fright were real there is hope
for the ministrations of common sense
to act as a cure.
A new world war does not "threaten,"
for new world war is an impossibility.
The populations of exhausted nations
would not wage it. There is no cash to
pay for it.
Moreover, no honestly discerning eye
can distinguish between the Bolshevist
situation today after the "semiofficiap
bulletin has been issued and the status of
militant Leninism at the moment i'm
mediately preceding that display of
British delirium. The soviet armies may
have the radius of Ghengis Khan or
Tamerlane-in whose old territory they
are, by the way, now operating--but they
cannot lean beyond the Caucasus or scale
taneously sack Warsaw, Delhi, Kabul,
Teheran and Pekin by the force of fiat.
If the governments of nations which
were our allies against Germany really
believe otherwise they need mental diet.
If propaganda has seered into "semi-
officjal' circles and is staging a grand
stand play, the sooner such a detestable
exhibit is called off the better for the
health of the world.
Furthermore, it may be seriously in
quired whether this revolving ball is
actually as i'll as certain selfish and in
sidious forces existent upon it seek to
maintain. In an atmosphere which
thoughtless observers have characterized
as gloon" the machinery Of the league
absence of the the United States has been
called calamitous. So it would be if cur
isolation We're to become permanent. But
there is scant likelihood of such folly.
The foundations of sorething far diff
ferent from "another world war" were
laid in Paris on January 16, 1919. What
will be reared upon it is, of course, de-
pendent on host of contingencies. But
the virtue of the basic principles cannot
be blackened by the mistakes or offenses
of their interpreters.
The present "crisis," Fictitious though
it may be. is fraught with some pos
sbilities demanding frank explanation.
1t is not unusual for the overstatement
of fancy to beget the impression of fact
upon which lamentable action may be
based.
Evidently there is considerable fear in
England that the recent Bolshevist vic
tories presage peril to the British pos
sessions in India. Much loose talk
abounds concerning the chances of a
soviet-insrired Moslem uprising in that
eastern empire. Apart from the prepos-
terousness of 'conceiving a triumph of
atheistic bolshevism over one of the most
tenacious of all the great faiths of the
world, the lineup of religions in India
gives rause to the notion of communistic
conquest. In the great peninsula the
Mohammedans number hardly n'ore than
one-ffth of the total vast population.
The scare mongers have inadvertently
ignored or else deliberately suppressed
that salient fact. Indeed, examination of
the new war" sensation indicates just
such derartures from truth as NAV be
cunnngly capitslized to protect Euro
pean iunkers, militaristic and capitalistic,
to befoul the mission of the league of
nations and to feed the public with such
lies as may give place to tragic facts.
This, of course, is a mere postulation,
for the realization of which something
like cosmic insanity would be needful.
But notwithstanding the present spree of
exaggeration the latest spur to our en-
trance into world affairs is sharp.
The Boshevist danger, although not
nearly so great as it is painted, is real.
Every success over formerly oppressed
and now helpless peoples fans the flames
of the Communist leaders belief in
"world- d-revolution." 1t is difficult to con-
vince any fanatic that battlefield victories
are delusory.
Lenine beholds the league of nations
imperiled by intrigue and propaganda.
He beholds the efforts of original enemies
of the pact to distort its meaning. He
/ sees America aloof from the partnership
and naturally rejoices in the disorganiza-
! ton of forces, the most powerful Of which
! are moral.
Given this moral unanimity, it is i'm
probable that any campaign for the Boil
shevist invasion of Poland would be now
projected, or that even an air-drawn
! dagger would be seen over India.
The hearty and vigorous cooperation
of the nations which defeated Germany
and Of the neutrals in the peace league
would create moral armament sufficient
pc haps, to impress even the mad Reds
! A,,l