Some vague and uninformed talk about peace in the United
States has called forth from Dr. Eliot, ex-President of Harvard University, one of the wisest and most distinguished of living Americans, a remarkable piece of advise. Speaking to a meeting of Baptist ministers, he said, according to the Times :-
"Do Do not pray for peace now. I cannot conceives worse catas- trophe for the human race than peace in Europe now, If it were declared now, Germany would be in possession of Belgium, and German aggressive militarism would have triumphed. That would be a success for Germany after she had committed the greatest crime a nation can commit--namely, faithlessness to treaty rights—and the sanctity of contracts would pass for nothing, and civilisation would be set back for centuries. I do not see how any thinking American can keep himself neutral. Liberty and every other American ideal are involved in this war." Asked when ministers might begin to pray for peace,
Dr. Eliot said "When Germany is driven back into Ler own territory and forced to pay full indemnity to Belgium."
Previous page
