The New York Times Current History of the European War, Vol. 1, January 9, 1915: What Americans Say to EuropeVarious
Philosophy
The New York Times Current History of the European War, Vol. 1, January 9, 1915: What Americans Say to Europe
Various
World War, 1914-1918
Women are here to breed soldiers, and militarism is the path that will
bring Germany to her place in the sun. The youth is first of all to be a
soldier and incidentally to be a man. No one has indicted Germany's
militarism in stronger language than the distinguished German-American,
Carl Schurz. In words that burn the great statesman expressed his hatred
of the imperialism and militarism against which he helped to organize a
revolution that led to his flight to this country. Of late Americans
have been asking themselves certain questions.
The American Ideal vs. the German.
What will be the result if Germany is allowed to seize any smaller State
whose territory and property she covets? Is all Europe to become an
armed camp? What is the meaning of this German professor's article in
The North American Review, written two or three years ago, in which he
says that once she is victorious the Monroe Doctrine will go and the
United States will receive the "thrashing she so richly deserves"? Must
we then go over to the military ideal? If Germany supports 8,000,000
soldiers out of 66,000,000, must we withdraw from productive industry
12,000,000 men for at least two or three of the best years of their
young life? Must we start in on a programme of ten dreadnoughts a year
instead of building ten colleges and universities for the same sum of
money? Of late Americans who love their country have been searching
their own hearts. Merchants hitherto busied with commerce are asking
themselves whither this country is drifting. Is Germany to compel us to
become a vast military machine? This military question is a subject of
discussion on the street cars and in the stores, at the dining room
table. No articles in paper and magazine are so eagerly read and
analyzed. The American ideal is not a military machine, but a high
quality of manhood. To make men free, with the gift of self-expression;
to make men wise through the public school and the free press; to make
men self-sufficing and happy in their homes, through freedom of
industrial contracts; to make men sound in their manhood through
religious liberty for Jew and Gentile and Catholic and Protestant--these
are our national ideals. America stands at the other pole of the
universe from imperialism and militarism. So far from being willing to
desert the political faith of the fathers, this war has confirmed our
confidence in self-government. Liberty to grow, freedom to climb as high
as industry and ability will permit, liberty to analyze and discuss the
views of President, Congress, Governor--these are our rights. In a
military autocracy there can be no liberty of the printing press. If a
man criticises the Kaiser, he goes to jail; in this republic, if Horace
Greeley criticises Abraham Lincoln, Abraham Lincoln does not send the
great editor to jail, but writes the latter, "My paramount object is to
save the Union," and vindicates himself at the bar of the nation. An
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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