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SCIENCE 



[N. S. Vol. XLVII. No. 1222 



ing youthful, strong and virile, and the 

 meaning of the conflict stands plainly re- 

 vealed. It is the age-long struggle 'between 

 the multitude and the privileged few, be- 

 tween the rights of the people and the di- 

 vine right of kings, between the conception 

 of government which makes the state the 

 servant of the people who have created it 

 and :that which reduces them to slaves* and 

 places not only their possessions but their 

 lives, at the disposal of the divinely ap- 

 pointed rulers of the state, and even de- 

 mands that their consciences be subservient 

 to the will of the sovereign. Gradually as 

 the issue has defined itself more and more 

 clearly, the logic of events has forced na- 

 tions whose entrance into the struggle may 

 have been in a degree dictated by other and 

 less noble motives to commit themselves 

 definitely and unmistakably with respect to 

 these fundamental principles and the sym- 

 pathy of the individual must be bestowed 

 for or against the democracy in which we 

 who are truly Americans all believe, 

 i But so confused and so clouded have been 

 the issues, so bitter the struggle, wagfed both 

 with the pen and the sword, that some have 

 idoubted the value of art, of literature, of 

 science, of religion, and even of civilization 

 itself. Ingenious logic has lent itself to so 

 interpret and apply the principles of our 

 own science as to justify the theory that 

 migbt makes right, that the weak have no 

 rights which the powerful can be bound to 

 respect, that the strong nation is justified 

 in taking possession of and administering 

 the heritage of its weaker neighbors even 

 though it be necessary to exterminate the 

 weaker in so doing. 



The conflict has been severe. The forces 

 of might, better prepared, better organized, 

 more effectively administered, and profit- 

 ing also by advantages of strategic position, 

 have seemed to be on the high road to 

 success. The issue still hangs in the bal- 



ance, and victory for the right is not yet 

 assured. Therefore, there are those who, 

 faint-hearted, have despaired and, blinded 

 by the appai-ent success of might, have lost 

 faith in right and have recanted, laying 

 the blame upon the idealists for having led 

 them astray. They now profess admiration 

 for the strength of materialism and decry 

 the weakness of an idealism which breeds a 

 race of cowards and weaklings. But are 

 they justified ? While it is true that ideal- 

 ism, uncontrolled by reason, may build a 

 bouse of cards which in time of stress col- 

 lapses and buries both its followers and 

 those associated with them, can this be af- 

 ,firmed of that idealism through which 

 shines the dear light of reason? Though 

 the believer in truth, justice and right hesi- 

 tates to draw the sword, is he not the 

 stronger, relatively, if when he does so, he 

 enters the conflict with clear conscience 

 and high resolve? One looks in vain 

 through the history of the ages for a case 

 where freemen have been lacking in the 

 courage to uphold their convictions, even 

 in the face of the most oppressive apposi- 

 tion, or to defend them, if necessary, by 

 force of arms. 



It is this spirit of idealism which led our 

 nation at first to give generously and indi- 

 viduals to sacrifice much that the suffer- 

 ings of war might be mitigated, and which, 

 though we were long forbearing, led us, 

 when reason had shown clearly the neces- 

 sity of so doing, to enter the conflict, actu- 

 ated by motives more altruistic than those 

 which have impelled any nation in the 

 previous history of this world. It is ideal- 

 ism that is leading our young men will- 

 ingly into a crusade which takes them far 

 across the sea, to endure privations, suffer- 

 ing and death itself, while their loved ones, 

 who have bid them ' ' God-speed ' ' with tears 

 ^n their eyes but with the pride of sacrifice 

 in their hearts, pray for their success, and 



