Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1922-04-25
NOTHING IS SETTLED,

Those who are discouraged over the. fact that
III spite of all the conferences which have been held
since the close OF the World war. the affairs of the
world continue to be disturbed may find consola-
ton in two things. first, that there is nothing in the
history of the world to warrant the belief that norm
al conditions are to be restored quickly and easily
after such a profound and universal disturbance as
that through which the world has passed and Sec
ond, that the affairs OF the world have never at any
time been settled, but have always been in a state
or fux.
The activities of many people were given new
direction by the World war. The experiences of
that tragic time induced in many new methods of
thinking. Some people were made better, and some
were made worse. But human nature itself was
not changed. except in the infinitesimal measure
which may be compared to the geologic changes on
the earth's surface during a generation in relation to
the aeons through which such changes have been in
progress.
Men and women the world over are concerned
primarily with the problems Immediately affecting
them, the problems of subsistence and of personal
comfort for Themselves and their dependents, with
the mental and spiritual development which is de-
manded by their environment. This has always
been true. Here and there have arisen individuals
who, by reason of remarkable gifts, have stood out
from among their fellows, who have clearly inter-
Preted the past, formulated the thought OF, their own,
time. and shown, the way some little distance into
the future. These have been leaders, and their in
huence has been great. But this leadership has not
removed mankind in general from the consideration
OF its immediate and personal problems.
1t is easy to writebooks about the abandonment
Of old princip pies and the adoption of new by millions
OF people. lnnumerable books have been written on
the subject, written easily and gibly. But to effect
such changes is not such an easy matter. In actual
experience these changes must be developed
through the slow process of life, not written about
withla flowing pen. And throughout history we
lind that however violent the surface disturbances
have been, the sea returns presently to about its
former level, and the permanent changes made arc
matters of centuries rather than of minutes.
The affairs of the world were thrown into vio-
lent confusion by the war. An enormous area was
ag'tated. For a long time there will be choppy
waves, unexpected, cross currents, and, occasional
swelis or enormous power and extent. All the. Wis
dom that can be brought to bear is needed in the
rreadJustment of the complex relations of the human
family, and the fact that this readjustment has not
been bkought about by the adoption OF a set Of reso-
lut'ons or something equally simple is no cause for
discoura
And, when conditions something like normal
have been restored, we must still remember that this
lite if a life of movement, in which the close Of one
period is merely the beginning of the next. There
is no such thing as a Settled" state, and it is. well:
that there is not. If there were, humanity would.
have reached a condition just preliminary to death.
tor stagnation would mark the end of the race.