The European War, Vol. 1, January 9, 1915 Part 23 (1/2)

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, Ma.s.s., 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 G.o.d, 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 pet.i.tion 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 h.e.l.l.

For wide their ranks were riven, Night blotted out the sky, As prostrate, dazed or driven, They caught their G.o.d'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:_

In this war what of right and what of wrong? Not much of right, perhaps, and very much of wrong. But there are degrees in wrong, and sometimes, by comparison, wrong becomes almost right.

The armed peace, the peace of guns and dreadnoughts and sabre rattlers, has come to its predestined end. Its armaments were made for war. Its war makers and war traders, the Pan-Germanists in the lead, have done their worst for the last nine years. They have been foiled time after time, but they have their way at last. Their last and most fatal weapon was the ultimatum. If Servia had not given them their chance they would have found their pretext somewhere else. When a nation or a continent prepares for war it will get it soon or later. To prepare for war is to breed a host of men who have no other business, and another host who find their profits in blood.