The Washington herald., 1921-07-01
Answers Justinian.
To the Editor. The Washington Herald

Justinian's challenge to his critics
in his letter to The Herald of re.
cent date that they deny IL they
can his statement that England has
done more for civilization than all
other nations combined should be
accepted. Tho burden of proof
should be placed upon those who
make so broad an assertion. Eng
lands contribution to civilization
should not be appraised at its pres
ent apparent value. but by consider
condition of the world IL she had
kept her battleships at home and
had given to other nations the free
rein which she has denied them.
She has advanced civilization or re-
tarded II in accordance with what
she considered her material inter-
ests. She has built railroads in
China but she has also forced opium
upon that unwilling people. One OF
the causes Of the American revolu-
ton was the fact that she prohibited
manufactures in this country. 1t is
claimed that England has led the
world in music, science and the fine
arts.
Justinian refers to King George
III, who made war on the colonies,
as a full fledged German with
whom the British were not in SYM
pathy, and mentions his hiring of
Hessians to fight us, in an evident
effort to place the real blame for
this war upon Germany, defying his
critics to deny these allegations.
They should accept this challenge
also. George III was lineal
descendant of King James l, and he
did not lead the English people
against their will but was led by
them. Pitt, Burke. and others sim
ply voiced the opposition, such as
is found in every war. Green's s
Short History of the English People
in speaking of the Tories of that
day says, They were ready again
to take part in politics; and in the
accession of a king who, unlike his
two predecessors, was no stranger
but an Englishman, who had been
born in England and spoke English.
the Tories found in him the oppor-
tunity they desired" CPage 729O
Instead then of the king leading his
people into war against their will
the Tories found in him the op-
portunity they desired" He was in
fact insane too much Of the time to
lead anybody very successfully. He
was not even able to sign the stamp
act, which aroused the first great
storm of protest in America against
taxation without representation,
and which was passed Ave to one
in the House of Commons, and
unanimously by the lords, the royal
assent being given by a board of
commissioners acting for the king.
1t is not denied that he Cor those
prosecuting the war) hired Hessians
to fight Americans, and American
Indians to scalp Americans, and
American whites to betray Ameri-
cans; but the suggestion that this
was a German and not an English
war is negative by the presence in
front of the White House of the
statue of Steuben, a full fledged
German" who assisted America,
and by the late presence of another
statue in front of the War College
of Frederick the Great, WHO pre-
sented friendly sword to Washing
ton. The king was IS years old
and "hopelessly insane" when he is
alleged to have led his unwilling
subjects into the War of 1912. in
which they burned our capitol End
ravaged our coasts. To claim nat
George III did all this is to pay a
high tribute to the directing ability
of a crazy imbecile, and very
doubtful compliment to the pro-
moters of civilization. Would Jus
tinian object to having the kaiser
referred to as a full fledged Eng
lishman because he is a grandson of
Queen Victoria? Is il not true that
the War, of 1912 was occasioned
largely by England's refusal to
abide by the treaty of 1888. which
she seemed to look upon merely as
"a scrap of paper?
Justinian says of his critics IF
they wish an indepedent Ireland
why don't they go to Ireland and
light for Irish freedom?" The fair
ness of this alternative is not ap-
parent. Does he mean that we may
not speak for any cause without OBJ
ligating ourselves to make the sd
preme sacrifice for that cause? May
we not speak. for Armenia without
going to Armenia to fight--nor for
eha pct<a. nor Far fha Russian Jewa