Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1921-12-31
DIOGENES
By DR.. Frank Crane

| In one of Mr.. H. G.. Wells's first letters in
regard to the Disarmament Conference he
used these words:
WARS, preparations for war, and the
threat Of war only the more striking
aspect of human disunion at the present
time. The smashing up of the worlds cur
rency system is a much more immediate dis
aster. That is rushing upon us. This wal
talk between Japan and America may end
as abruptly as the snarling of two dogs over
taken by flood. There ray not be another
great war after all, because both in Japan
and America social disruption may come
first.
upon financial and economic questions the
Powers of the earth must get together very
quickly now or perish; the signs get more
imperative every day; and if they get to-
gether upon these common issues, then they
will have little reason or excuse for not TAX
ing up the merely international issues at the
same time"
the world than a man can lift himself up by
his boot STRAPS, which task is all the more
difficult when the boot straps are rotten.
The world cannot be curee by statesmen
and politicians any more than man can be
cured by doctor. People get well of them
or the excess of vital force over morbidities.
And nations get we'll the same way.
Mr.. Vanderlip's plan of a sort of bank
which would do for the world what the Fed
eral Reserve system has done for the United
States is even more fundamental move than
the proposition for disarmament For if the
world can get thoroughly united in it's bust
nesG, war will automatically cease.
Mr.. Vanderlip proposes simply to give the
Lations a doll;r that is worth a dollar, and
so on. That is, to supply them with another
kind of money which will operate to tone up
and bring back the national currencies which
have been shot to pieces.
We have got to quit looking to govern
ments to help us.
Nations can make war, but nations cannot
cure war.
Nations can punish and kill people whole,
sale and retail. But they can not add one
jot or little to life's forces in our national
resources.
There never has been any progress in the
world under the leadership of governments.
All the progress has been made by the people
themselves through their native spirit and
theil voluntary organizations.
All national governments can do is to step
in once in while and wreck the train.
What the business and intellectual world
ought to ask of government is simply to get
out of the road and quit meddling. If they
will let the people alone, take away their
artificial barriers Of trade and thought and
travel, and allow natural forces to operate,
the world would cure itself.
If it had not been for pernicious and crazy
nationalisms there would have been no war.
And If the nations will now let up little and
give the people chance, they will get over
the wars dire consequences.
Mr.. Godkin, of the New York Post, used
to have very subtle way of getting rid of a
lisance or bore. He would look the man
| smiling in the eye and say, Twill you please
go away?"
When Diogenes was asked by Alexander
the Great what he could do for him, the
philosopher in hus tub replied: "Get out of
my light"
All the world asks of the various nations
is some such thing.
(Copyright 1921 nv Frank Crane)