It is because we believe with all our heart and soul in the greatness of this country, because we feel the thrill of hardy life in our veins, and are confident that to us is given the privilege of playing a leading part in the century that has just opened, that we hail with eager delight the opportunity to do whatever task Providence may allot us. We admit with all sincerity that our first duty is within our own household; that we must not merely talk, but act, in favor of cleanliness and decency and righteousness, in all political, social, and civic matters. No prosperity and no glory can save a nation that is rotten at heart.

In the light of such a leading we may justly declare that democracy is applied ethics. Indeed, this great preacher of righteousness makes us feel it to be applied religion. If we profit by his message our political creed will become a gospel of good works.

CHAPTER XXIII

THE ETHICS OF HUMANITY

"Law-not war."

"We here in America, hold in our hands the hope of the world, the fate of the coming years, and shame and disgrace will be ours if in our eyes the light of high resolve is dimmed, if we trail in the dust the golden hope of men."-Theodore Roosevelt.

During the recent great war it was the conviction of millions of people that the United States and the Allies were fighting for the rights of mankind. A score or more of countries, widely separated by racial characteristics and by geographical distances, were drawn closely together and united, for a time at least, in the ethics of humanity. The unity of humanity was demonstrated as never before in the history of the world. The moral sense of the world revolted against wickedness. War was seen to be bad-it appeared in unusually terrible form—but some other things were seen to be worse than war. Peace was sweet-for many years it had been dearly cherished-but right and justice were seen to stand exalted above peace. Religion and ethics did not fail, as many too hastily asserted. On the contrary, it was for them, it was for the principles of religion and ethics, as embodied in law and as enshrined in the human soul, that the world rose. "They shall not pass" was spoken of an army; it was also what civilization said in its heart when the forces of evil were fully revealed.

Justice and right are esteemed above peaceconscience and fortitude will fight for them again if necessity demand it; and the only peace that is really cherished is a peace with honor-the only peace that can be lasting is a peace with righteousness. All of this shows the supremacy of ethical standards. Yet in the fury and confusion of war the highest standards are always in jeopardy-there is always the hazard that might instead of right will prevail.

Accordingly, one of the great tasks of civilization has been to eliminate war and in its place to establish justice by rational procedure. This is possible. Just as trial by jury and the rule of common law were long ago established in England, displacing the absurd and brutal trial by battle, so it is possible to do in the world today. It is only between nations that trial by battle is permittted in this good day, except among savages. And the work of civilization can never be complete until reason and justice are exalted among the nations, just as they have long been exalted by common consent among individuals, and have been buttressed with authority and sanction. For two men to fight over a difference is a crime against society-it is forbidden by law; for two millions to fight is--war!

Is it not ridiculous that sense and taste should be so refined as to taboo an absurdity when it is small, and yet so blunt as to deem it more or less respectable when it is great? In the words of a great American, "it should be our steady aim to raise

the ethical standard of national action just as we strive to raise the ethical standard of individual action."

The ethics of humanity must eliminate war. It must go a step farther and remove the conditions that have usually produced war. The solution of all these problems is the golden rule. The golden rule is only a practical application of the cardinal virtues, temperance and justice, sweetened by generosity and adorned by the graces. It is liberty making choice of law; it is love directing and controlling human conduct. It is the fundamental virtue in mastery over the fundamental vice. "Not armies or treasures are the safeguards of a kingdom, but friends."

"Not by their size measure we men or things. Wisdom, with eyes washed in the fire, Seeketh the things that are higher."

The ethics of humanity should be the same in China or Chile that it is in France or the United States. It is practically the same, in spite of differing judgments and differing customs. Courage may be called by many names, but it is always and everywhere strength of heart. Generosity would be recognized as quickly in one language as in another. Truth is not subject to speech or judgment. Justice knows no race or place, no kith or kin.

The ethics of humanity will make a Scotchman honest with a Hindoo, an American with a Japanese. In short and simple words, it will make any man of

any race as fair and square and honorable and charitable in dealing with a stranger from the other side of the globe as he ought to be in dealing with his next door neighbor in his own home town. If one's honesty is good only for home consumption, it is not worthy of the name. If one's morality is not good everywhere it is not good anywhere.

There are only three or four great causes of war. Of these, race prejudice, religious bigotry, and commercial antagonisms are the hardest to deal with successfully. The personal ambitions of unscrupulous rulers ought not to get very far nowadays. Such rulers have troubled the world very much in past times, but our intelligence and our constitutions ought now to be effective safeguards against such malefactors.

Religious bigotry is playing out, slowly. In some parts of the world it is still active enough and strong enough to make trouble. It perhaps could be aroused to a fury in many places where it now seems dead, but let us hope that good sense and the spirit of human brotherhood will continue to grow until they prevail thoroughly and surely everywhere.

But race prejudice and commercial antagonisms (economic competition) still remain. They are still making trouble and they will continue to do so until the "more excellent way" is chosen. No code, no creed can ever make all races alike—it is not necessary; no agreement, no system can ever make the products of widely separated countries the same-it is not desirable; but the application of simple ethics to world-wide business will solve most of the prob