The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1923-01-11
THE WORLD AS 1T is.


down as one of the brightest in the
worlds history. But it will certainly
not go down as one of the darkest.
None of the major problems before
us have been solved; in some there
has been very little actual progress
toward a solution But for all that
this first of January should be a
much more hopeful one than the first
of last January; and if we are not
yet out of the woods, we have &C
quired much better idea of the
general territory in which we have
been wandering. The European
statesmen, after their many peregri-
nations through the various European
watering-places, seem at last to have
learned something about Europe. In
this country we have had so many
economic upsets that it seems that
we are at last beginning to suspect
that such thing as economics actual
ly exists. Our general knowledge of
the conditions under which we are
obliged to live has been considerably
increased, and if the problem of ap-
plying this knowledge still seems a
peHpleXing one, it is impossible to
Believe that it is insoluble. There is
IA renewed confidence in the belief
4 that the world will continue to go
round, no matter what happens; and
there is in current affairs comfort.
ing note of sanity and level-headed-
ness which has been lacking for
long time.
Although it is possible to make
specific predictions, they are pretty
certain to be wrong. The broad out
lines, however, emerge from the
hOdge-podge Of events, and we can
read in them fairly definite promises
for the future. In the field of inter.
national relations, the Washington
Conference seems to show that the
Far East has been removed as a
probable cause of war for many gen
erations to come An experiment is
being tried; the nations are making
an attempt at peaceful commercial
development of backward erea, and
that is something which has scarcely
ever happened before. 1t is one of
the most intelligent efforts yet made
to avoid the suicidal tendencies of
modern commercial exploitation, and
its effect upon the damaged economic
life of the world is bound to be great,
even if it is not always obvious.
The reparations-debt problem re-
mains largely subject for hope and
prayer, but the evidences are not
lacking that Europe is gradually find
ing her level. Russia has ceased to be
an Experiment in theoretical Marxism
and is becoming a nation again. The
red menace no longer infames excita-
bic old gentlemen; and, while Soviet
imperialism is likely to give as much
trouble as Czarist imperialism, it viii
at least be trouble of the kind with
which the world has been accustomed
to cope. Much the same thing can be
said about the Turkish renaissance;
it will raise many problems, but in
the end it will probably be for the
better rather than for worse.
At home the year has brought def
mite improvement. 1t is only neces
sary to recall the unemployment
crisis which struck us about this time
a year ago to realize how great the
Improvement really is Business is
picking up, and in spite of the fire
works in Washington, there are signs
that the agricultural sections are
nearer to recovery than they think
they are. The labor problem, which
IN coming years will perhaps put de-
mocracy to one of its most trying
tests, is not something which can
never be settled. 1t will always, prob
ably, be a good deal of a continuous
performance; but, all things consid
cred, this act has gone off surprisingly
well. Both the coal and the railroad
strikes served to arouse the public to
an accurate appreciation of the i'm
portance of the issues involved, and
while in themselves they seemed
merely useless and destructive, they
will probably be responsible for a def
mite advance along the difficult road
which leads to the establishment OF
real lawfulness and order in indus.
trial relations.
The political situation, one must
admit, appears to be something of a
bad job; but, then, that has been 9
characteristic of political situations
ever since the invention of politics
The old lines have been broken up