Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1922-10-18
COLBY COLLEGE
"Splendid Isolation"
Subject Interview
J. Stitt Wilson

Subject Interview
J. Stitt Wilson
1T is suicide for the United States
to maintain its policy of splendid
isolation in the presence of such
pending world needs and such pos
sibIe world calamities." declared j.
Stitt Wilson. international lecturer
for the Y. NJ. {. A.. Tuesday morn
ing in lengthy interview granted to
Journal representative in the Sc
clusion of the college library reading
room.
There is not a single doubt but
that the western civilization is pass
ing through most critical and cru
cial stage" he further declared.
The cOlored races. yellow, brown
and black. are asking the question
whether they exist merely to be eX-
plotted for the profit of the white
| man or live to live the lives of men.
1t is not safe to wage war to make
the world safe for Democracy if
in the same breath you do not wish
to have one hundred million people
on the face of the earth-Japanese
, Hindoos and MOslems-swallow the
word Democracy bait. sinker and
! line
Moreover, the nations Of the world
absolutely must come to some CO.
operative action and mutual under
| standing, call it Il League Of Ma
i tons, Association of Nations, or do
not call it at all: but something must
| be done TO coordinate the interests
Of the various people OF the earth
and to avoid any such world horror
as war, as we understand the word
war today. Another World War like
that last one would mean the end OF
! the white supremacy on this planet
Still further. the labor problem
! the so-called clash between capital
and labor. the strife of the classes
with its consequent industrial dis
organization must be frankly faced
! by the intelligence and conscience
of the people of the world. 1t is
wicked and foolish to pretend that
| this house divided against itself
holds no threat for the permanence
of our civilization.
Il have tried to state the serious
nature of this most important issue
in the simplest of Anslo-SaXon terms
with the least confusion of ideas
! possible. just as skilled physician
would attempt to give an absolutely
| correct diagnosis of a dangerous
disease" Mr.. Wilson continued. "and
have put the subject of my few
talks here into these words, The
supreme issue confronting western
civilization is the Just use, Just con-
troll and just administration of the
institutions of property. We might
just as well frankly admit that the
present gamble with the resources
of the earth and with the mechanical
equipment Of civilization by any
body and everybody without let or
! hindrance for what anybody and
everybody can get out of it, now
stands questioned. 1t is inexpedi-
! emily unjust and if it is continued.
IL Will oCSlIOS CNSIN SON OIl
this earth. no matter how strong or
weak they are.
There simply must arise very
soon new craftsmanship determined
on the public welfare and the COM
mon good of the whole people. This
! new craftsmanship can not hope to
proceed with mere partisan slogans
and petty party politics. This new
craftsmanship will have to be forti-
fed with the most exhaustive scien-
tific investigation of the facts and
the forces of industry and finance.
This new craftsmanship will
have to conserve all the wonderful
powers of individual initiative which
has made our civilipation so great,
and at the same time. absolutely
break all the graphing powers of
monopoly and the privileges in the
content Of the life and labor Of the
people.
Perhaps the greatest need of our
times is very frank and open mind
on the part of business men and
church people and college students
to actually face the worries, injus-
tees and inequity of our present in
dustrial life and to set about with
the hearts and minds in putting the
house in order. Let us not do as
!, the French aristocrats did in the
eighteenth century. smugly say. AT
ter us the deluge.' for the deluge
might not wait for the after"
On being asked what he thought
| was the greatest need in America
today. he replied. IF I had my way,
should have every newspaper in
the land give special columns and
| special heads for the consideration
of the property issue.
Il would have every pastor of ev-
, cry church in America study the
economic problems and instruct his
people on the great issues, stating
| the facts, at least. even though he
had to 60 slow on remedies.
Il would have every college in
America require of every student
actual familiarity with the great So