I wish I could believe with you that the Governments of England, France,
Germany, and Russia would listen to the voice of the American people.
They all seem to desire the good opinion and moral support of America;
but I see no signs that they would take American advice or imitate
American example. President Wilson seems to think that this country will
be accepted as a kind of umpire in this formidable contest; but surely
we have no right to any such position. Our example in avoiding
aggression on other nations, and in declining to enter the contest for
world power, ought to have some effect in abating European ambitions in
that direction; but our exhortations to peace and good-will will, I
fear, have little influence. There is still a real contest on between
democracy and oligarchical methods.
You see, my dear Mr. Schiff, that I regard this war as the result of
long-continuing causes which have been gathering force for more than
fifty years. In Germany all the forces of education, finance, commercial
development, a pagan philosophy, and Government have been preparing this
war since 1860. To stop it now, before these forces have been
overwhelmingly defeated, and before the whole German people is convinced
that they are defeated, would be to leave humanity exposed to the
certain recurrence of the fearful convulsions we are now witnessing.
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