Viewpoints

042. Forty-second of Sixty Opinions on the War

E. ALEXANDER POWELL

E. Alexander Powell, author and journalist, acted as a War Correspondent with the Belgian Army in the campaign of the autumn of 1914. He was invited to dine with General von Boehn, Commander of the Ninth German Army. He thus had an opportunity of visiting the German lines and of having a conversation with a highly-placed German official. He published his experiences in a book called " Fighting in Flanders," from which the following quotations are made by permission of Mr. Wm. Heinemann :

043. Forty-third of Sixty Opinions on the War

MORTON PRINCE

              The name of Dr. Morton Prince, an eminent Boston physician, has become familiar to all students of psychology through his remarkable book, " The Dissociation of a Personality." The following paragraphs are from a letter contributed to the " Boston Sunday Post," Feb. 7th, 1915 :
              From the American viewpoint we are forced, however unwillingly, to the conclusion (in consideration of German warfare and German ideals of government) that Germany must be regarded in war as the enemy of civilisation, and in peace as the enemy of democracy.
              Between the autocratic German viewpoint and the democratic American viewpoint there is an irreconcilable conflict-a conflict of ideals-that cannot be settled by argument, by citation of facts, by appeals to logic or to moral judgment.
              It can only be settled by the arbitrament of arms. If the Allies win, we may expect that the ideals of the democratic viewpoint will receive a world-wide acceptance. It was thus that the conflict between the ideals of freedom and slavery was settled in this country only by the acceptance of the arbitrament of war.
              If, on the other hand, Germany wins, the United States of America still remains to be settled with, and that conflict of viewpoints, between American democratic ideals and German autocratic ideals, will still exist, to be settled some day in the future by the arbitrament of the sword.

END OF OPINION

041. Forty-one of Sixty Opinions on the War

CHARLES HENRY PARKHURST.

The Rev. Charles Henry Parkhurst, D.D., LL.D., Pastor of the Madison Square Presbyterian Church, New York, and author of several works, contributed a letter to The New York Times," of Aug. 23rd, 1914, from which the following extract is taken :

When a mad dog runs amuck, the policeman shoots him on the spot-not by way of revenge, but as a humanitarian contribution to the security of the public. Now, has a more rabid creature than the Emperor William ever run amuck through the peaceful and prosperous domain of Europe ? The policeman makes no argument with the dog and enters into no compromise with him, but deals with him in exclusive regard to the requirements of society and simply blots him out as a public menace. It may not be necessary to strangle Germany, but her claws should be clipped and her teeth filed and enough of her fortifications dismantled to render her harmless, and as heavy a war indemnity imposed as will not drive her to absolute penury.

END OF OPINION

011. Eleventh of Sixty Opinions on the War

JOHN BURROUGHS

John Burroughs, Litt.D., a well-known American naturalist who has published a long list of works, may be called the " Richard Jefferies " of America. He is a member of the American Academy of Arts and Letters, a leading authority on Walt Whitman, and a poet of no mean order ; he was in the service of the United States Government for about twenty years. His opinion, as expressed below, appeared in the " New York Tribune ":

004. Fourth of Sixty Opinions on the War

ADELBERT HENRY ALDEN

Adelbert Henry Alden, a direct descendant of John Alden of the " Mayflower," is a member of the New York Chamber of Commerce and of the Union League Club. He contributed the following article to the " Westminster Gazette " of March 19, 1915 and it is reproduced here by permission : (Free download)

003. Third of Sixty American Opinions on the War

GEORGE BURTON ADAMS

George Burton Adams, Litt.D., Professor of History at Yale University since 1888, is the author
and editor of several historical works. The following extract is from " The Record " (Philadelphia) of
November, 1914 : (Free download)

002. Second of Sixty American Opinions on the War

CHARLES FRANCIS ADAMS

Charles Francis Adams, who attained the rank of Brigadier-General during the United States Civil War, was a prominent publicist and author, and a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, the American Philosophical Society, and other learned bodies. Mr. Adams was the son of C. F. Adams, Ambassador to Great Britain during the Civil War (1861-65), and the direct descendant of two Presidents of the United States- John Adams, and John Quincy Adams. Mr. Adams died March 29th, 1915. The following letter to Lord Newton appeared in " The Spectator " for November 7th, 1914, and is here reproduced by permission of the Editor of " The Spectator ": (Free download)

South Lincoln, Mass.

October 21st, 1914.

001. First of Sixty American Opinions on the War

LAURENCE F. ABBOTT

The following paragraphs appeared in "The Outlook " (N.Y.) for January 6th, 1915. Mr. Laurence F. Abbott, President of the "Outlook " Company, is a son of Dr. Lyman Abbott, the well-known preacher and author. Mr. Ernest H. Abbott, another son of Dr. Lyman Abbott, says that the opinions set forth in substance express my father's views as they express the views of ' The Outlook ' staff as a whole: (Free download)