The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1935-09-26

realistic recognition of the existence of such phi
losophy VIII be helpful in combating recurrence
Of what happened from 1914 to 1917 we printing
The letter without further comment.
THE letter:
L ut Road TO War; was like reading a
Shakespearan tragedy It had all the inevitability
of a great dramatic play When the book ended
it, ike the dropping of a cTtain-I quit it with
the feeling that irrespective of the diplomacy the
book reveals, no other outcome was possible. There
seemed to be deadly destiny about the whole thing.
Right or wrong. 1 one of those who believe
are inevitable The reason believe
this is that as see it. the people and the diplo-
mats and the rulers never comprehend what forces
actually driving nations to Inc clash of
armies is only climax; the genesis may reach many
years into the past.
The killing Of the grand duke at Sarajevo
not the cause of the World War; it simply that
final act beyond which peaceful diplomacy could
not 60.
only IN recent years have students obtained
cleat comprehension Of the causes Of the Civil
War We know now that the eggs which produced
this particular omeet we're laid the time of the
adoption OF the Constitution.
Personally. 1 think II years is too short a time
the forces which resulted III the World War. In
fact Mills doesn't try 10 He merely repeats in
minute detail and proper sequence the events lead
ing to our entry. He, too is caught in the impon-
derable and unacceptable current.
THE truth is none Of us knows whether those
great forces which made the World war will
result ultimately for GOOD or for evil I believe that
despite the tact that the guns OF Gettysburg we're
sounding taps for Jefersonian democracy.
I'm not contending that intelligent people should
refrain from attempting to prevent or short-circuit
wars Even though legislative or other artificial
efforts to prevent may fail they may in time breed
comprehension of some of those forces which, when
they collide. are termed war. don't think we as yet
comprehend and therefore are not equipped to COM
bat divert them
Il don't think the solution lies in the conven-
uonaI anti-var propaganda I doubt that any mis-
sionary work on the younger generation will succeed
don't ching erewsome pictures or detailed descrip-
lions OF the horrors of war are going to stop the
younger generation from getting into uniform.
.nFPHAPS YOU read the var article in a recent
Harpers # YOU did. YOU probably recall the
Z
veteran.
a lot Of people like myself enjoyed the war. 1
don't think there was anything monstrous about me
for liking It, The things I loved about it we're all
things denied us in peace time l. E. close as
ISOLATION with laree numbers of ones fellow-men
IN a common purpose the chance to put forth
tensive and disinterested effort il cause greater
than ones own concerns economic equality. freedom
from economic worries adventure
AS remember my own emotions It or IS years
ago that Just about covers It Colleges and college
BOYS don't change much. For nearly three years
endured the deaIistic tub-thumping OF the profess
sors: j. e. pacifism brotherhood OF men. economic
waste OF war etc We we're treated to large doses of
so-caued liberal dogma Just as the college boys of
today are But in April 1917 all that went by the
board.
We were youne-the professors we're old. They
had made no effort TO conceal their superiority. 1t
seemed 10 us-and 1t was true-that all the power
in the world was in the hands Of OLD men. They
dominated everything. Our role was TO sit and listen
"DUT when war came. We realized intuitively that
- here was a game the old men couldn't play.
Youth was III the saddle
In addition we were weary Of academic routine
guted with the sticky interectualism of the class
room. were tired OF professors who knew life only
from bookS-and whose teachings we're only secur-
ty safety. tranquility. order.
We didn't want tranquility We wanted action
We wanted TO live. We were genuinely idealistic:
We wanted to submerge ourselves in a cause that
was bigger than We were; We wanted comradeshp.
the close association Of ones felow-men in COM
mon purpose
The war 70 us. was somewhat like that moment
when he horses break out of the starting stalls.
when a pitcher winds up in the sunshine of sum
mer afternoon. and the batter cocks his shoulder
back for that first pitch or when the back field
shifts. and half back breaks out for his try of
tackle. There is something timeless and something
breathless, about such moments. The war. to US.