The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1942-03-03

NJ breaking re-
sponsibi llty OF
Vim. Allen White preserving the
sacred ark Of
civilization ~
haven't the editorial at hand,
but | read II. back some time IN
the first half OF 1918. and that was
the rub of II. AS TO the reference
to the ark Of civilization. recall
that in quotation marks.
My point is that there was a tot
Of such sentiment IN our country
then and II wasn't confined to
nutty pacihst groups. either
ARK OF civilization" stuff was
preached by a great many perfect
~ rational folk Their argument
was that we. If anybody. would
have to save the imperlled ark from
100 per cent destruction. and that
we'd stand a lot better chance of
doing il by sitting strictly on the
fence until arrival of the we'll
known psychological moment and
then fishing the utensil out Of the
melee Just as unostentaticusly az
We could.
Not much such talk was heard
IN our midst following the out
break of World War No. 2.
William Allen White didn't even
mention the sacred ark of civiliza-
ton. He didn advocate American
participation in the strife actively.
but he did favor winning II by
helping the dcmocraoies He was
in that movement from the jump.
but before long, 1t chucked him
overheard, as too advanced-as too
darned helpful to the embattled
democracies to suit its principles.
A Few Appeasers
Oh. yes. we do have some few
appeasers-some Clivedenites.
They're not numerous enough to
signify. though. and they rate as
too ridiculous to be even a subver-
siye influence.
IN short. al the beginning Of
World War No. !. while our symps-
thies unquestionably were predom-
irantly with the Allies. we gener.
ally hoped. until pretty well on IN.
to the lighting. that we'd be able
to stay out of It and rescue the
sacred ark at its end.
American anti-Hitler reaction
vas enough-sight quicker to mani
fest itself in 1889 than anti-kaiser
reaction vas in 1914 and on
through 1918. I crossed Germany.
from Denmark to Holland. In Jaru-
airy. 1916. and wash t treated as an
enemy
Now. why the difference between
that era and this one
We got along. on pretty strained
relations. with Wilhelm. for cou-
pie of years after he'd taken the
warpath. Indeed. we trusted to
goodness that we'd avoid going to
the mat with him. In Adolf's case.
I'm blamed If don't believe we
were bit glad OF it when the Japs
raided Pearl Harbor. because 1t
precipitated us into hostilities with
the Axis, with no more Of the delay
than we previously had been chat
ing at.
The theory in 1914 was that we
could do best by the ark Of civili-
cation by being on hand, as a neu-
trail bunch. TO salvage it out Of the
wreckage.
The theory today IS that the cor
rect way 10 protect 1t is by whaling
the tar out Of the AXIS. / don't
contend that it's wrong diagnosis.
I'd like only to account for the dis
tinction.
Is the Fuehrer a meaner cusa
than the kaiser was?
Kaiser Was Gradual
Tn inclined to think that It's all
because We were introduced to the
kaiser by degrees. He was long.
standing institution. We accepted
him as something we were accus-
toned TO. Theodore Roosevelt WIS.,
tied him IN pre-Worid War No.
days and vas politely treated. We
regarded him as a despot. but. II
he suited the Germans. what bUsi-
ness was 1t Of ours? II took US
quite a while for that complex TO
wear Off from US. Herr iitler's a
specimen we're unaccustomed to.
AS inhabitants Of the earth. We
don't propose 10 have him wished
onto US as permanency
The Germans. under Wilhelm.
were would-be conquerors. but not
necessarily Of everything mundane
Adolf is. He's due or this side OF
the Atlantic. II he gets away with
Europe AMI the Japs are due on
our side Of the Pacific. according 10
THEIR reckoning. They and the
Germans. supposing that they're
not licked now. presumably will
clash between themselves when the
time comes.
The dope II. though that its
vastly preferable to deal with both