It is an encouraging fact that every one of the political or Governmental changes needed is already illustrated in the practice of one or more of the civilized nations. To exaggerate the necessary changes is to postpone or prevent a satisfactory outcome from the present calculated destructions and wrongs and the accompanying moral and religious chaos. Ardent proposals to remake the map of Europe, reconstruct European society, substitute republics for empires, and abolish armaments are in fact obstructing the road toward peace and good-will among men. That road is hard at best. The immediate duty of the United States is presumably to prepare, on the basis of its present army and navy, to furnish an effective quota of the international force, servant of an international tribunal, which will make the ultimate issue of this most abominable of wars not a truce, but a durable peace. In the meantime the American peoples cry with one voice to the German people, like Ezekiel to the House of Israel: "Turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die?" CHARLES W. ELIOT. Cambridge, Mass., Dec. 8, 1914. THE LORD OF HOSTS. By JOSEPH B. GILDER. "He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh." The warring hosts that gather To ravage, burn, and slay, Turn first to that dread Father To whom the nations pray: "O God, our hearts Thou knowest, Our minds Thou readest clear; Where we go, there Thou goest-- With Thee we have no fear. "The folk that harm and hate us-- Thy enemies, O Lord-- Thou knowest how they bait us: Make brittle their strong sword! "Against the foe that goaded We heed Thy call to fight: Our guns are primed and loaded, Our swords, how keen and bright! "Make strong our hearts to serve Thee, Uphold our lifted hands; Let no petition swerve Thee To succor alien bands. "So shall we burn and slaughter, Spread desolation wide, If still, by land and water, Thou fightest on our side." The Lord of Hosts had listened-- Had heard the rivals' prayer, Upraised where bayonets glistened And banners dyed the air; And as His people waited An answer to their cry, Two bolts with lightning freighted Flashed from the angry sky. To left, to right they darted, Impartially they fell: The hosts in terror started As they envisaged hell. For wide their ranks were riven, Night blotted out the sky, As prostrate, dazed or driven, They caught their God's reply. Then, as the blinding levin's Twin bolts were buried deep, Who dwelleth in the heavens Was heard to laugh--and weep! A War of Dishonor By David Starr Jordan. Late President of Leland Stanford Junior University, now its Chancellor; Chief Director of the World Peace Foundation since 1910. _To the Editor of The New York Times:_