THE ACCUSED
But neither the press, the movies, nor the exchange account fully for
the attitude of the Allies toward the United States. The chief
accusation against Americans at the present time is of callous
selfishness. They have deserted the great cause of humanity to
accumulate profits and play petty politics. Have it that way if you
wish. Say your worst and prove it and you will accomplish nothing.
Neither would anything be accomplished if the United States agreed to
all of which she is accused and roused herself to do what her critics
regard as her duty. The solution of the world's problems does not lie
within the sphere of governments, and can neither be aided nor hindered
by laws or covenants that statesmen and rulers can devise. The United
States is now in practically the same position as the devastated nations
of Europe. In spite of her swollen wealth her future depends on the
conduct of her citizens rather than on the collective wisdom of
political parties, governments or business interests. The earth hold of
humanity has been broken by the war, no less in the United States and
Canada than in the old world. Unless men and women return voluntarily to
productive work, this glittering, unreal wealth will prove to be but
gaudy trappings covering hunger and poverty. While we are concerning
ourselves with world problems, the problems of food, clothing, and
shelter are being despised as unworthy of our attention. We are
increasing our stores of money while the supply of necessary things that
money can buy is steadily diminishing. We are bringing nations to trial,
the United States as well as Germany, in a courtroom that threatens to
tumble about our heads. We are clamoring for justice but justice is
impossible.
There is one great lesson, above all others, that has been taught by
this war and that few have learned. Surely we should be able to see by
now the futility of human justice. If those who have been affected by
this war could live forever and the best human judgment could be
exercised throughout eternity, we could not render justice to those who
sinned or to those who suffered. The healing of the world does not wait
on justice.
May one without irreverence go back to the birth of Christianity? At
that time the world was groaning under the administration of Roman
justice. Mosaic justice was also playing its part.
It is reasonably clear that the appeal of the new dispensation was
strengthened by the inevitable reaction from the oppressions of justice.
The Mosaic and Roman systems were the most marvellous ever devised, but
tormented humanity cried aloud against them.
"The soul of man, like an unextinguished fire,
Yet burns towards Heaven with fierce reproach, and doubt,
And lamentation, and reluctant prayer,
Hurling up insurrection."
Out of that bitterness was born the one thought that has been of value
to the human race. The amazing, divine discovery was made that
forgiveness is better than justice and that only through kindness and
brotherhood can life endure. That one flash of light has been the
guiding star of all the great souls that have struggled and sacrificed
themselves to lead the world to better things in the past two thousand
years. But since the dawn of history men have been striving for that
form of vengeance they call justice. And the most pathetic aspect of the
present crisis is that we are harking back to the primitive and
demanding justice on a scale never attempted before. We would even weigh
nations in the scales of justice, though we have no adequate balance and
no counterpoise.
Of course it would never do to ask an indignant and outraged world to
forgive a Germany that has tried to destroy the hope of man. Very well.
It does not matter whether you forgive or whether you punish. Though
you forgive her, she will not be forgiven. Forgiveness will not save her
from the disaster she has brought on herself no less than on others. And
you cannot punish her without danger of further disasters. The whole
matter--the Kaiser as well as the nations--has passed out of our hands
to be dealt with by the awful compensations of higher laws than those
that man can administer. And as for us--for all of us--we must face the
future as individuals rather than as nations. In the terrible words of
General Smuts, "Humanity has struck its tents and is once more on the
march." And when humanity marched in the past it always marched for
food--for lands of promise flowing with milk and honey. But the lands of
promise have all been discovered. They have been mapped and are
occupied. So the only thing left for humanity to do is to pitch its
tents again--or lapse into anarchy. While I would not pretend to defend
the United States for its present isolation and apparent indifference
when so many of my compatriots--and those the ones supposed to speak
with authority--are pointing the finger of scorn, I have a feeling that
under this apparent indifference there is a blind, instinctive groping
for the true solution of humanity's problem. I found the best people
perplexed rather than defiant. They were raging at their own
futility--futile because they could not yet see through the battle-smoke
that still envelops the world. And I am hopeful that before long they
will fulfil Kipling's estimate:
"While reproof around him rings
He turns a keen untroubled face
Home, to the instant need of things."
The charge is brought against them that they are without spiritual
insight. I would give this accusation more weight if I had more respect
for the spiritual pretensions of others. No man and no nation need lay
claim to spiritual insight while clamoring for justice. The dispensation
under which we are supposed to live is the dispensation of forgiveness
and helpfulness. We profess the Golden Rule and yet demand an eye for
an eye and a tooth for a tooth. Could anything be more pathetically
absurd? If the world were not so wounded and stricken one might be moved
to inextinguishable laughter by the pompous inanities of men who would
administer God's justice in a world that has been brought to its present
pitiful state by organized greed. The over-organization of humanity for
profit made the Great Catastrophe inevitable and our cure for it is more
and greater organizations. But "God is not mocked." When man established
democracy it was implied that every citizen would prove capable of
self-government, would do his full share of the work of the world. And
now the safety of democracy depends, not on governments or on leagues of
government, but on the willingness and ability of each citizen to do his
part. In the past we went woefully astray. The ambition of every strong
man was to accumulate wealth and leave behind him a family that would be
freed from the need of performing the work of true citizens--that would
live parasitically on the proceeds of claims on production which he
established and for which he secured legal sanction. Instead of great
democracies of citizens each doing their part, we developed organized,
ruthless autocracies of industrialism and finance that made bloodless
war on each other and established a social parasitism that amazed the
world with its luxury and extravagance. But the hour of testing has
come. Unless the great democracies of the West, the United States and
Canada, can justify the gospel of freedom and equality they have been
flaunting before the world, their fate will be quickly sealed. But if
they can clothe their professions in deeds, and every citizen by his
actions can show himself worthy to be a citizen of a true democracy,
they will give the world the leadership it so sorely needs. To do this
they must banish the old, hard fetish of justice--or if they must have
justice let them render it, not demand it. If they take the true path it
will matter little what happens to the wealth to which they have been
devoted.
Indeed, nothing could be more disastrous to mankind than that the
present swollen war wealth which is so evident and insulting in all the
capitals of the world should become fixed and permanent. The
establishment of this reckless wealth on a stable basis would justify
the intolerable conviction that war is profitable and there would be no
end to wars. The most wisely devised League of Nations could not prevent
their recurrence. They would be more likely to increase than to
disappear.
Let no one say that this would mean anarchy and the destruction of our
social order. It would simply mean a return to the austere virtues of
our fathers, under the law and order which our fathers established. Let
it not be forgotten that generations of men and women have sacrificed
themselves on the altar of humanity so that freedom might be made sure
in his new world. With incredible labor that found its reward in the
building of homes rather than in dollars they cleared away the forests
and made the wilderness blossom. No one who believes in the God of
nations can believe that so much high aspiration and generous effort can
go down to defeat. In spite of misunderstandings, irritations, and the
selfish, petty intrigues of politicians, the hope of humanity still lies
with the democracies of the West. They bought their freedom at a great
price, and, in spite of mistakes and follies, that freedom, and the
example of their fathers, will point to them the path of duty.