Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1921-12-20
RELATION OF MAN
TO HIS COUNTRY
MOOT[D QUESTION
Does a Man Own His Country
or Does tho Country Own
tho Man?
| BOTH CONVENTIONS
| HAVE SUPPORTERS
n. G. Wells Says Britons Hold
Former View and Japanese
the Latter.
EFFECTS OF PRUSSIANISM
ny Charles Brower Farmer.


Special Dispatch 90 Every Evening.
Washington. Dec. 20.---Does man
own his country. or does the coun-
try own the man?
". 6. Wells. when he first placed
foot on American soil. declared that
the Bnglishman hold tho former view,
and the Japanese the latter.
In certain sense. Wells was right.
But tho japanese take their view not
from their honorable ancestry, but
from the teachings Of one Frederick
Nietzsche. who taught the doctrine oil
the Superman. When Japan was Prus-
sfanizod Il was natural that the doc
trines Of that philosopher should
eventually permeate the thought Of
the ruling class.
Now steps forward Secretary OF
War Weeks. and in n speech made in
this city night or so ago. advocates
"the mobilization Of men, money. and
manufactures under conscription
law in the event Of another war"
Mr.. Weeks said in part:
"I would conscript every person in
the United States from IS 10 60 years
o. age should future war prevail. and
would say. You are to do thus and so.
because you can do that better than
anyone else. You can fight. or you can
serve in some other capacity. ca
pacity for which you are best suited 81
Prussianisn? NietzscheanisIn?
Hardly.
Americans as individuals and q
AIr. believe
that they own their country. Dut il a
future war does come. It may 10 no.
oessary for tho United states 10 night
fro with FIRE. and adopt those Inobili-
cation tactics which other rations used
in the ,ate war 20 such advantage, but
which the United statcs barely
scratched.
The method might SAVIOR OF Prus-
sianism. but tho thought behind it
would be purely that OF defence Of
our Homeland.
Mr. Weeks points out that under this
method rho following benefits would
be derived:
ta) prices would be kept down.
(b) proGteering would be reduced
to a minimum.
Cc) wages would not reach untold
heights.
would like TO add to those bene-
/ f1ts this statement: the Government
would get the service Of many a hus-
ky brute who otherwise would be en-
gagged in private industry at the ex-
pense Of better men "over there,
wherever over there" may be in the
next war, which is sure 10 come some
dark day, unless diplomats also change
human nature.
Americans witnessed two saddening
spectacles during the. late conflict.
sane men who had revealed in ninitary
titles. which they had procured il
sundry ways, such as contributing q
a party's campaign fund. suddenl,
discovered that they were not cut-ou
for military leaders after all: and q
few youngsters whose fathers hae
enough influence TO get them hear
ing in the exact quarter found tina
they were needed at home to max,
razor strops or some other article fol
Our boys"
Under M Weeks which
accept in principle" as the diplomat
are saying here about other plans
those two classes of gentry woul,
either fight, or they would make ne
cessitios for tho army and nayy-bu
not at proHteers' salaries. Some dough
" general who otherwise nigh
organize shoe factory, say, Nigh
find himself commissioned as
"shave-tail." and ordered TO max
shoes on salary Of about $3.50
month. with Communication for ligh
and quarters" The man who pre-
ferred TO make razor strops nigh
make them, if he could show vali
; reason why he should not enter tn
ranks, but the chances are that h
would be buck private. seeon
class" drawing bucks nunificer
pay from the government, and not
princely salary from elsewhere.
But the most beautiful feature {
Ar. Weeks plan, which after all
only projection into the future
the original draft idea is that all Ii
necessities Of war, which private cor
Germs nlade'sometines at good proa
in the World War. would be msnufa,
j Continued on page 2,