The Leavenworth echo. [volume] (Leavenworth, Wash.) 1904-current, 1922-12-29

this or that religion or to this or that
people and insisting upon consttu-
tional amendments or laws, proscrib-
ing and denying to them the enjoy
ment of political honor, bring back
Sydney Smiths statement and the
truth it nothing dies so
hard and rallies so often"
The race issue has been raised in
some of our universities and colleges.
1t has been raised around or because
of people whose origin is associated
with the most sacred traditions of the
human family and whose history is
rich in romance and achievement be-
yond the power of language to tell
These people are here, they are
great part of us, owning allegiance to
our institutions, contributing in ener-
gy, in moral force and intellectual
power to the upbuilding and preser-
walton of our nation. 1t has been
seriously proposed as solution of
the college question that there shall
be a limitation of percentage of these
people seeking admission as students.
In other words, we are to blandly
sacrifice the nciple-recognize the
barbarous practice of discrimination
on account of race, compromise with
intolerance-in the seats of Ameri-
can learning.
1t would be notifying enough to
have men in politics trimming and
sidestepping and compromising by
reason of some racial or religious
| question, but to see Americas great
institutions of learning, which should
at all times and at all hazards hold
aloft the banner Of tolerance. yield
on such a question would be disturb
ing beyond expression. We ought to
say, not only from our college ros-
trum. but from tie pulpit and from
the hustngs-and most of all from
our legislative hals-that we refuse
to defer in any way whatever to rae
ial prejudces.
What is this all-but-insuperable OBJ
stacle to the recovery of Europe but
a widespread, deep-seated and APP
parently unconquerable spirit Of in
tolerance? What lies at the bottom
of all this misery and what is this
Saturnalia of turmoil and crime, con-
tinent-wide, and now OVERLOOKING into
other continents, other than racial
and religious and nationalistic intol-
erance? Why cannot the people af-
ter all these years of suffering and
sacrifice, after looking throughout
these narrowing months upon their
children unfed and unclothed, be at
peace? 1t is because of the vice of
intolerance.
1t has apparently become ingrained
in their very being, and thus suspc
ion, fear, hate, vengeance, murder
and assassination, like the brood
which kennel as Miton's hounds
about the parent sin, torment night
and day the souls of men. The press,
the voice of the public servant, and
even the pulpit, feed this Unsuitable
glutton of discord. 1t is sometimes
said that Europe impatiently awaits
a Napoleon-some genius for war
who will bring warning factions to-
gether and put all under his univer-
sal sway.
But even more, | venture to be-
lieve it awaits Lincoln whose heal
ing and uplifting message of tolerance
and mercy will Danish hate and fear
from the hearts of men. There has
been no message Of that kind gone
forth in Europe for years. If one
wishes to know how hungry the
masses are for such a message, let
him recall how they received the mes
sages of Wilson and how their hopes
were blighted when these messages
met defeat in the intolerant and vim
dictive provisions of the Versailles
Treaty.
Since the World War the frightful
dogma of force has seemingly Sc
cured an increased hold upon the
minds of men. Through force all
things apparently are to be accom-
plished. The healing influence of JUS
tice and public opinion are less and
less relied upon in both national and
international affairs.
The first fruit of this dogma of
force is the suppression Of facts, CEN
sorship of the press, limitations on
free speech, the denial of free as
semblage-for these things belong to
a different creed and signify a differ
ent national life. Metternch, the
great advocate of despotic power,
rightly declares:
mo government can pursue firm
and undertaking course when it is eX-
posed daily to the influence of such
dissolvent conditions as the freedom
of the press" Force, arbitrary pow
err, injustice, cannot withstand the
dissolvent influence of free and indie
pendent discussion.
If there is any one thing which his
|
is the utter futility of intolerance in
the world of ideas, the utter fruitless-
ness of persecution on account of race
or creed. The only way we can meet
erroneous and unwise doctrines is in
the open field of debate where truth
at last prevails. No error, however
deep-seated, can long withstand the
pulverizing effect of the combined in
fluence of untrammeled minds.
| have read somewhere that in
Rome they will show the traveller the
stately column of the Emperor Ira
; jan. On the outer surface they have
caused to be inscribed the triumphal
march of the Emperor when he came
back to Rome leading all nations, all
. tongues, all customs, all races, in the
retinue of his mighty conquest; all
these they have traced on the imper-
ial marble circling the pillar from
base to capital. Illustrative of this
Republic; Broad enough and brave
enough to admit and protect all
creeds, wise and just enough to