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Show SHALL VF INTERVENE IX EUROPE From a purely theoretical point of view it looks as thought we might tell the different European nations just what to do. We might preach to them the gospel of peace. We might preach them the lessons of advanced democracy. We might assuage the bitterness which rankles in the hearts of the leading nations as the result of the war. We might persuade nations to escape future evils. After all, the question is, how shall we do these things? Shall we go to Europe as an umpire, supposing that they would agree to the program that is submitted to them? Or shall we make the nations of that continent conti-nent our equals and convince them by the force of logic? If we granted each country the right of equality wo should have to reach decisions by compromise, and after hearing tho complex views that European nations na-tions have of each other we should have to Iis-.en to tho racial disputations disputa-tions that would be urged for this or that policy. It should be understood that many of the nations of Europe are, according accord-ing to their race, given to disputations. disputa-tions. They have all kinds of complaints, com-plaints, some of them covering periods peri-ods of centuries. Wo do not kuow much of their race qualities. We have but few, if any, inside facts of their history. Wr. should be puzzled at every turn. Take as an example two of the foremost nations of Europe, France and England. They could not agree. Their permiers quarreled quarrel-ed and after numerous conferences these countries were further apart than ever. Finally, France decided to act alone. Suppose we went to Europe. By going to Europe, I mean take up European Eu-ropean disputes. Which country would we side with? Have we no sympathies? sym-pathies? If we have, to which irace should they be given? The idea that we could stKnd entirely aloof and utter ut-ter the law from the mountain is a fallacy. Would we be ashamed of our country if the United States engaged en-gaged in all kinds of squabbles? One thing is cer'ain, they could hold out in contentions longer than we could. Some of tham are not very logical and their childish ways would disgust dis-gust American diplomats. The educated edu-cated plain upon which many European Euro-pean nation. stand, would not be one upon which the United States could stand. In dealing with Europe there is a vast chasm between the theoretical theore-tical and the practical. |