South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1922-02-27
MORAL MALADY Is
GRIPPING PEOPLE
Henry Van Dyke Believes
Lack of sympathy PeriIs
Peace at Present.
BY DIR. HENRY VAN DYKE
(In an interview with Edward
Thierry.)
Especial TO The News-Times.)

I fNpfNlhA 10 Inc NeN--ItmeHsl
| PRINCETON. y. j.. Feb. 20 -
The war was caused in great part
by a disregard OF national psyeholo-
gy. Germany. obsessed by the
Hohenzollern myth. was utterly IN
able 10 put herself iu the place OF
other nations and understand how
they felt.
4 somewhat similar lack OF psy-
geological syr1pathy IS the main
thing that imperils peace al the
+ present hour.
II the nations would only try 10
do unto others as they would have
others do unto them a. least halt
OF the difficulties that beset Eu-
irope. and that seriously affect the
United States, would melt away.
European Conditions Bad.
But the other half would remain
and would have to be dealt with by
+ practical measures. like those which
have recently been undertaken at
/ the Washington conference and
carried through 10 a success which,
( though not yet complete. IS greater
than the friends OF permanent
peace dared 20 hope a the outset.
The condition of affairs in Flu
+ rope certainly is not altogether good.
But il might easily be worse. The
/ task Of peace loving nations at the
present moment is 20 prevent that
( deterioration II that can be stop
ped the natural forces OF good
/ which reside in. humanit will grad
lually bring about an Improvement
+ in industry. trade. 0uance and all
| the arts Of peace.
, I do not believe that humanity Is
/ bankrupt, civilization shipwrecked,
I and the world doomed 20 destruc-
ltion. That idea is delusion of
I hysteria in minds OF a certain type,
shell-shocked by the war and not
yet returned TO normal and reason
able ways OF thinking.
Rulers Not MiIitaristic.
| But the mass of people in Amer
| lea and even in Europe are really
not like that Then enjoy their vic
tuaIs and their sleep. their simple
pleasures and their family relations.
They love their home and their
country and are willing 70 work for
them quietly rather than be shot to
/ pieces for them. That is why they
are hungry for peace.
Ny estimate Of the situation is not
official. II il simply the opinion of
a private person who has knocked
about the world for 20 years and
been in close relations with all sorts
and conditions Of men.
] Is "a
/ France I met the leading statesmen
OF both countries and heard them
talk in the freedo moi private inter
course. Neither France nor England
/ is militaristic or mperialistic, what
ever bablers may profess TO believe
on the contrary. No militaristic
government in France or England
could survive for a week. The people
would make an end of il.
Cause Is Moral.
/ 7 "a " a good deal also OF my old
( friends the taxicab drivers. and
/ found them much improved in man
ners and, I hope. in morals
I did not meet with a single
pirate among them.
or course, they growled about the
price or gasOlme-and with justice.
But so far as 7 could see they play
ed no tricks with their fares. They
we're as obliging and cheerful as
YOU can expect men with a rough
/ life 10 be. and they were always
, grateful for the small bonus added
TO their too low legal fare.
Let me wind up this interview in
I two sentences:
The chief cause OF the present
TROUBLES of the world IL moral--lack
+ OF thought an ddullness Of heart
among us men.
America must help Europe OF
+ course, but the best way in which
+ she can do this is BY helping Eu-
rope 20 understand and help her
self; the time for dropping pennies
in the hat has gone by.