Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-04-30
WHAT WAR PREPARATIONS CAN
REPAY DEVASTATED AMERICA?
The Damage to This Nations Morale
Was Enormous and Il Has Not
Yet Been EuIly Reekoned

"WEM M WANT AN only I, ri,, what is soS3 FisntGoo'0 I
the officers of the Atlantic fleet, referring by
implication to tho war settlements, "and,
by the Eternal we shall have it -
That statement is brave and manly
enough. And reading it, one cannot but
grievc over the failure of statesmen and the
peoples for whom they talk TO define and
describe what they believe to be the vau
able and desirable fruits of the war and tho
victory.
II needs only glanc" backward into his.
tory to perceive that the things for which
most governments and most people are
striving ire az best unsatsfactory and highly
ncriShable. II is good. therefore. to hear
thc President disclaim any thought Of trib.
ut"s and any hunger FOR new territory.
Thcre are private citizens who could do
service of immeasurablc value to the couu-
Try and to humanitysf they would be as
liberal. minded within the circle of their
own affairs. II there is one thing that more
than another has served to prolong the agony
OF tho whole world and 70 increase the
miselios Of widespread social and economic
confusion it is the almost universal desire
Of all sorts Of people 70 get some thing or
some special advantage at the cost of some
body else.
When. for example. you listen TO the ar
talked by good many leaders of labor and
n good many leaders Of capital alike. you
cannot help feeling that increasing groups
of influential men in democratic countries
actually have inherited something of the
autocratic mood that once was exclusive 70
kings. Well the kings are vanishing
Their victories we're defeats.
Where are all the spoils that the Ger
mans gloatcd over in ~ and all the loot
that armies have been bleeding for through
centuries? Gone Of course wasted and
! burned up at the impossible task of pro-
tecting and defending uurighteousness
Where are the proud Of few years ago?
OF what use is it for any American to
follow backward over a road strewn with
the debris that they left?
Once or twice before in these columns
we have said that. while other nations are
concentrating all their thoughts upon the
single subject Of reparations. the Germans,
through adversely and actual want. are in
way TO win tho higher prizes Of the war.
They are achieving national discipline
unity of purpose. unity Of view. They are
in q way to learn at last the utter futility
of pride and arrogance, and they are face
TO face with the necessity for hard. con-
sistent and creative work. Poverty and
hardship can b" great stimulant for
narion. too The Germans Will have TO
| order their minds. TO learn industry and
| temperateness. TO face realities. TO awake
! from the dream Of life without wholesome
effort that still lies heavily on most of tn"
world, or they will perish So. beaten as
| they ore and humliated and outcast. they
| actually have something Of an advantage
| over some of their late enemies.
Our own country is az the present mo-
ment divided against itself, 1t is filled with
men who. in their lesser ways, are doing
their utmost to follow in the footsteps OF
! discarded nUtocrats. 'Weu put them In
! their place" says labor Of the employers
Well nut them in their place" says cap
ital Of labor. "nnd wcll keep them there.
! The resulting friction is generating good
! deal Of dangerous heat II is causing an.
! palIinC waste, and it will cause more.
! love Of finc work is going out Of American
! industry. and the people who seek 20 profit
| by their wits or by the accidents of oppor-
! tunity rather than by decent effort arc in
creasing The sins of lnziness, Of foolish
vanity and Cncrvating luxury are more fash
| ionabln than JAZZ
Out Of tho war VC got no spoi.s fortU-
nate,y But We got an impairment of the
national spirit and an instinct for conflict
and n very ugly habit OF suspicion and
| bigotry in some powerfully organized and
opposed groups Of our people. We fought.
as we supposed, for democracy. But the
| country is less democratic now than II cvcr
was before For We live by industry and
life Is regulated and advanced or held back,
nor by abstract political theory. but by tho
manner and the results OF our organized
effort.
II tho democratic spirit does no, prevail
! in industry il cannot be said 20 prevail in
'hr country. Too mGn% people do not want
il 70 prevail The tendency on the part Of
labor and capital alike has been toward In