The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1933-08-05
M. E.TracyS Says:

NNCE more comes August reminding us of
~ now civilization blew up nineteen years
ago and Of how blind we were to what it meant.
Optlmists in the worst sense of the word we
only could see the bright side of things Though
realizing that war would be bad we accepted
1t as a purging process. consoling themselves with
the thought that. matter how many human
beings were killed or how much property was
destroyed ii would result in healthier happier
world
One cannot review the last twenty years.
without being amazed at mems inability TO IN
derstand the forces of their own creation much
less to control them In no important instance
have our best minds been able to read the mean
ing Of events correctly.
Take the Mexican revolution. the advent of
Chinese republic, the effect of submarine cam
paign on ocean trade the overthrow of czarsm
in Russia, the emergence of Mussolini. the redis-
tribution OF colonies the various plans for finan-
cial reconstruction, and in what case has the
result squared with the prophecy?
Civilized humanity has been inundated with
waves Of skepticism. has been led by the Incl
dental processes of revolution to abandon many
OF its hitherto firmly planted convictions and
beliefs What was looked upon as progressive
twenty years ago now is considered quite reac-
tionary, while what looked upon as reac-
tionary now is regarded as thoroughly pro-
greSsive.
COMPELLED TO organize for the purpose Of
~ overthrowing old school despotism, democ-
racy finds itself confronted with new school
of dictatorship. accepting the RECOMMENDATION es-
sential to as the surest method by which to
pay the bill and repair damages.
Few people comprehended what the thing
would cost. even after it appeared to be over
Our greatest economists failed to sense how the
enormous load of debt would crush financial
structures. and our great statesmen failed to
foresee the effect of militarism on politics.
The Mussolins. Lenins and Hitlers. with their
conception of unified control and rigid disci-
pine, were the logical type of reformers in the
wage of such a cataclysm. Even the United
States is glad TO borrow Wilson'S war program
Of recovery and TO clothe a peace-time Presi-
dent with dictatorial powers.
The things being done to meet depression,
not only here but abroad bear striking re-
semblance to the things that were done to beat
Kaiserisr.
WAR has a way OF creating styles in state
w craft. just as it has of creating styles in
dress Bobbed hair, short skirts. controlled in
dustry disarmament conferences. nuisance taxes
and bureaucrats 60 back largely to the great
mobilization of 1914 and the glorious manner
in which men organized 10 destroy their physical
and intellectual heritage.
I said at the time that it would take fifty
years TO recover. not in the sense Of bread and
meat but in the sense of poise and Judgment.
am inclined TO amend that; it will take pearer
100 years.
There is no evading the consequences Of folly.
and the sooner we get ii into our heads. the
better it will be for all concerned. Civilization
went down into the jungle. reverted 10 barbar-
ism. turned its back on intelligence resorted TO
murder on the grandest scale ever known. de-
stroyed property without rhyme or reason,
mortgaged its future to the point of insanity
Now 1t has got to hack its way back rebuild,
pay of. repair and. above all else. readiust its
mind to constructive processes