Evening star., 1945-08-16
Solemn Reflection
Seen Need Of Hour

Seen Need of Hour
People Must Recognize Response.
bility in Starting War, Says Writer
By David Laurence
These are the moments Of excitement
and celebration over the ending of the
war, but they cannot truly be moments
Of either happiness or satisfaction. For
there can be no happiness as the
Nation learns Of the fate Of the cruiser
Indianapolis, announced at the last
moment. grimly reminding VI Of oil the
boys in the Army, Navy and Air Forces
who have given their lives and the
many more who remained alive but
bear the wounds of battle.
There can be no happiness either II
We are honest with ourselves and rec
ognize our own responsibility for bring.
Ing on these wars. The same super.
hciality, the same careless or untn-
formed thinking which only . few days
ago wanted more blood spilled to
eliminate the japanese Emperor and
carry on an invasion with huge losses,
the same man-in-the-street ignorance
that Is content to blame it al on Fas-
cism or Naziism alone and cares
nothing about the economic conditions
that bring on such extremes Is going
to be responsible for more wars In the
future unless the peoples of the world
change their attitude toward truth.
Everybody is saying there must be no
further war, that it must not happen
again, and many well-meaning people
really want to work toward that end.
But they do not know how, because
truth Is so often distorted and emotion
ally covered propaganda is handed them
instead
Thoughts Back in 1881.
For instance, where were the thoughts
OF the American people back in 1891
when Japan started her march Of ag-
gression in China and took Manchuria?
We had as good a piece of paper in
the Covenant of the League of Ma
tions then as We have today in the
Charter Of the United Nations. Henry
L. Stimson, then Secretary of State,
protested. The League of Nations at
nrst baked and did nothing. The
British government pussyfooted and so
did American and British public opin-
ion. Then came protests that were not
backed up.
Where were the thoughts of the
American people in 1884 when the Japa-
nese government notified US that there
would be no further limitation Of naval
armament, that We couldn't have ac-
cess to the mandated islands, and when
they openly accused US of planning a
war OF aggression against them through
the use OF the Philippines?
Where were the thoughts of the Amer
lean people when in October, 1887, Pres
ident Roosevelt made his great speech
warning the world against war and urg-
Ing that concerted action be taken to
quarantine" the would-be aggressors?
He was denounced as Q "warmonRer"
and he was discouraged from pursuing
the theme
Where were the thoughts Of tha
American people as threats to world
peace began to appear In 1881, plainly
showing Us the need to build up our
Army. Navy and Air Forces? Who ID
responsible for that unpreparedness.
which cost us 50 many lives In the Pa.
ciflc?
Indifference to Truth.
The indifference Of the American peo.
pie to truth and the lazy attitude that
is interested only in self-indulgence and
materialistic things, the mind that SCOTS
at spiritual force as a means Of com.
pelling Us to meet fully our responsi.
bilities-this is in the background of our
guilt.
To cry out now that we will not let
wars come again would mean something
If We admitted where we made our mis-.
takes before-if we seriously studied thu
causes of this last war. 1t might be
found, for instance, that the pressure of
the Japanese people for an economic
outlet In China and elsewhere could
have been handled differently and war
avoided. 1t might be found that better
handling Of the reparations problem
after the last war might have educated
the German people to q better way of
life and deprived the German general
staff and the Hitlers of their chance to
gain ground and victimize the German
nation.
But SO long As we believe the other
fellow Is always wrong and we ourselves
are always right, and so long as ws
accept every aibi that puts the respon.
slbility on others and allows the indif.
ferent and the selfish among us to
escape all guilt, world affairs may grow
no better. The war is over, but when
will we learn that untrammelled com.
munication between peoples, freedom Of
the press and responsibility of the press.
freedom OF the radio and responsibility
OF the radio. freedom OF worship but
spiritual responsibility OF pastors and
laymen alike can make the peace and
keep the peace? 1t is time not for
merriment or exuberance, but for SOL
emn reflection and meditation upon the
sins of all of us.
(Reproduetion Rishts Reserved)
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