The Brunswick news. [volume] (Brunswick, Ga.) 1906-2016, 1922-07-25
PAGE ON DEMOCRACY.

serially in the Worlds. Work, reveals
Mr. Page an able and inspiring ex-
ponest of the democratic ideal, as wen
las the most farreaching statesman
diplomat of the time. Writing to
1 President Wilson November IA. 1916,
he reminded the President that I'VE
are in the world andl we've got to
choose what active part we shall play
in it'll fear rather quickly. / have
the conviction, as you know, that this
whole round globe now hangs as a
ripe apple for our plucking, if we use
the right ladder while the chasce
lasts | do not mean that we want or
could get the apple for ourselves, but
that We can see to it that it is put to
the proper use Mr. Page goes on
to tell the President that in his judg-
ment the time has come to go back
for the cue to the political fathers,
who were sure that their establish
ment of great, free republic would
sooner or later be followed by Europe
and the rest othe world For yari-
Gus reasons, and especially because
America chose to isolate herself, the
work of the fathers has not borne us
immediate fruit as they had right to
expect They fought against organ
ICED privilege over the sea the same
fight that President Wilson made SO
successfully in domestic affairs, says
the Macon Telegraph
Mr.. Page saw in the German sys-
tenn and effort the worst form of organ
lied privilege that had asserted itself
in the moders world and felt that the
best that America stood for was chal-
lenged and imperiled. The reason he
was SO devoted to the American dem
ocratic ideal was that sit keeps the
door of opportunity open and invites
all men to their fullest development"
In the whole realm OF political liter
allure. where will one find in a few
words so excellent statement of the
case of democracy? In additios to the
opportunity and inspiration of democ,
racy, Mr.. Page said, we're Interested
in it because under no other system
can the world be made an even reason
ably safe place to live in" Here we
have the germinal idea that Powered
in Mr. Wilson's famous phrase about
making "the world safe for democra-
cy"
In this famous letter of Mr.. Page,
he also suggested that President Will
son would be able to separate the Ger
man people from their misrulers,
something that the President did SO
successfully nearly two years later.
The thought that the President after
wards used with such telling effect,
that democracies are fundamentally
pacific, while aristocracies are essen
TALLY bellicose. is also clearly stated
in this letter.
Mr.. Page urged that the time had
come for America to actively and OPP,
emily identify herself with the Allien
cause in the form OF a protest agains,
the assassins of the AmeEians and
the assassins of Belgium, Poland and
Serbia, and in friendly attitude to the
German people themselves as d1stin-
guished from their military rulers.
He argued that this is the attitude
that our fathers would have wished US
to take-and that our children will be
pleased Of us for taxing; for it is ou-
proper historic attitude, whether look
ed at from the past or looked at from
the future. There can be no historical
approval of neutrality for years, while
the world is bleeding to death Eyi-
IDENTIFY. the President felt about this
same way, and if our memory serves
us correctly, in his famous Cincinnati
speech just prior to his reelection. he
spoke of neutrality as being intolera
BILE.
1t was felt by Mr.. Page that sew
erance of diplomatic and economic re
latiosships with Germany and Turkey
in 1916, would have enabled America
to have ended the War without tins
loss of a man in battle or any consid
cradle treasure, and would have end
ed the war early.
This letter of November "a, 1916
was i'll Mr.. Pages mind kind OF
summing up of the things that nc
wished the President to seriously con
slider as he meant to- lay down his DIP
lonatic duties soon thereafter. Thu
President, greatly to his credit wouie
not hear to giving up the services O
so great an ambassador and SO sincere
and frank friend.