Evening star., 1921-11-13
Hopes of World Centered
On Armament Conference

il our business to build q new
world upon the ruins Of an old
world, and to build it out OF the
material at hand. We stand aghast
at the Undertaking and are prone
to think that no graver sftuatlon
ever before challenged human Ell
fort. We forget that other ages
and other peoples have oeen con. 'o
fronted with undertakings OF IKE
character. equally formidable and
Timid souls Of today. who doubt
the ultimate destiny OF mankind.
who lack faith in the far.on divine
kvent toward which the whole
world Is moving. who look with
jaundiced eye upon present condi-
tions and see only the meanness,
fellowmen, could not better ex-
press themselves II they were
scholars than did Jean Paul when
he wrote, But az yet struggles
the twelfth hour OF the night.
Birds Of darkness are on the wing;
spectres uproar; the dead Walk:
the living dream. Thou. Eternal
Providence. will make the day
dawn"
More than seventy years ago In
q review Of conditions existing in
Europe as a result Of various revo-
lutions in the name Of democracy
crabbid, crusty, pessimistic Thomas
Carlyle characterized conditions as
"the universal bankruptcy Of i'm.
posture" and expressed concern
lest democracy could not stand the
strain that was about to be put
upon il. How we'll we have gotten
along since 1850 1t is not for me
to say, though I know we are here
with large measure Of prosperity
and q very great opportunity Tor
service. We may be paying a little
too much attention. however. to
class cry. can erect q new civiliza-
ton and build safer and better
old.
It might he we'll for US to as
certain whether there Is anything
in the idea that we now are con-
fronting a universal bankruptcy
er mere words. not crystalixed into
conduct, will make Of the world a
going concern again. We are done
with self-constituted. divinely
ordained kings. The dukes Of
the world have no long lineage.
It's real leaders were born Just
Yesterday. At no time In history
did people care so little what
man says. and so much what a
tory may tickle their ears and
enable them to while away an idle
hour. but what the people really
want to know is: What are You
doing toward the upbuilding of
the world?
Men are beginning to under
stand. slowly mayhap. but never
theless inevitably. that there are
certain laws which operate un-
erringly and regardless Of our de-
sfres: that we cannot repeal these
laws nor even put them In tenn
porary allegiance. that they cannot
be made to operate on some and
to pass others bv. Man favors
neither death nor disease. but rec
ognizing their inevitableness, he
governs his life accordingly.
Just now We have reached the
very heights of rule by the peo-
pie. In Russia and in isolated
spots all over the world it has
been discovered that the right to
rule involves also the ruling right,
the knowledge and the will to
rule. You may proclaim the broad
proposition that q people have the
right to rule themselves and no.
body may be bold enough to dis
pute IL as principle Of govern
ment. but unless the rule in fair
and just. that which was supposed
to be the ultimate aim Of man
kind will turn out to be but the
bankruptcy OF imposture. I speak
nothing by way OF criticism Of
the men the world around who
occupy the stage of public affairs
today. merely call attention to
the fact that in another age a
shrewd Yankee described Lamar
tine as "the first stump orator
in the world. standing. too. on the
highest stump-for the time"
For democracy to rule the world
for democrats to be democratic.
Otherwise the rule Of democracy
will be shorter lived than was that
OF autocracy. He who seeks to
rule must learn that he who can
not govern himself is wholly un-
fitted to govern others. He must
get close enough to that heart Of
humanity which ofttimes expresses
itself only in = sigh to understand
that most Of US are beginning to
believe that though individual sue
cess 1S good. national success is
better and world success is best
Copyright, 1e71. By Thomas h. Manhaif.)