WAR AND SOCIAL RECONSTRUCTION
Foreword by Jane Addams
DOUBTLESS THOUSANDS OF OUR READERS SHARE WITH THEIR FELLOW-COUNTRYMEN A DESIRE FOR SOME CHANNEL IN WHICH THEIR THOUGHTS MAY RUN TOWARD A BETTER WORLD ORDER.
EVERY MORNING AS WE OPEN OUR NEWSPAPERS, WHETHER WE WILL OR NO, OUR MINDS ARE FORCED TO CONSIDER INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS. WE GRADUALLY GROW ACCUSTOMED TO THE THOUGHT THAT THESE RELATIONS ARE OF NECESSITY FOUNDED UPON CALCULATING DIPLOMACY, EASILY RESULTING IN WARFARE, AND THAT THE PRESENT HIDEOUS LOSS OF LIFE AND PROPERTY IS INEVITABLE.
IT IS EASY TO PUT ASIDE, AS IF IT NEVER EXISTED, THE LONG INTELLECTUAL AND MORAL EFFORT TOWARDS SECURING BETTER INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS -- THE WORK OF SUCH MEN AS GROTIUS, AND [IMMANUEL] KANT, CONTINUED THROUGH HUNDREDS OF YEARS. THAT INTERNATIONALISM PROVED TO BE SO FEEBLE A SENTIMENT AS TO BREAK DOWN INSTANTLY AND COMPLETELY BEFORE THE SUDDEN RISE OF NATIONAL FEELING, DOES NOT OF NECESSITY PROVE THAT IT WILL BE FOR EVER A REED TOO FEEBLE TO LEAN UPON.
WE HAVE THE TESTIMONY THAT IN THE MINDS OF MANY OF THE BELLIGERENTS THEMSELVES THERE IS INTERNAL WARFARE BETWEEN NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL FEELING, AND THAT SCHOLARS, SCIENTISTS, ARTISTS, AND TRADERS, AS WELL AS MORALISTS, ARE BOTH BEWILDERED AND DISTRESSED BY THIS INTERNAL DISSENSION.
TO REMAIN NEUTRAL IS NOT TO REMAIN INDIFFERENT TO THIS INTERNATIONAL SENTIMENT. THE CULTIVATION OF THIS SENTIMENT IS OUR ONLY HOPE. TO QUOTE A RECENT UTTERANCE FROM ONE OF THE FIGHTING COUNTRIES: --
"COME FRIENDS! LET US MAKE A STAND! CAN WE NOT RESIST THIS CONTAGION, WHATEVER ITS NATURE AND VIRULENCE BE -- WHETHER MORAL, EPIDEMIC OR COSMIC FORCE? DO WE NOT FIGHT AGAINST THE PLAGUE AND STRIVE EVEN TO REPAIR THE DISASTER CAUSED BY THE EARTHQUAKE? . . . . .
"THE NEUTRAL COUNTRIES PLAY TOO MODEST A ROLE. IN THE FACE OF UNBRIDLED FORCE THEY ARE INCLINED TO BELIEVE THAT OPINION IS DEFEATED IN ADVANCE, AND THE MAJORITY OF THINKERS IN ALL COUNTRIES SHARE THEIR PESSIMISM. THERE IS A LACK OF COURAGE HERE AS WELL AS OF CLEAR THINKING. FOR JUST AT THIS TIME THE POWER OF OPINION IS IMMENSE. THE MOST DESPOTIC OF GOVERNMENTS, EVEN THOUGH MARCHING TO VICTORY, TREMBLES BEFORE PUBLIC OPINION AND SEEKS TO PROPITIATE IT."
LET THIS INVISIBLE TRIBUNAL BE SEEN AT LAST. LET US VENTURE TO CONSTITUTE IT.
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