To a nook in a far corner of a peaceful country is brought the word, “War in Europe is inevitable. It will come within a few years. The United States will be involved.”
The shock is almost as great as it was in July, 1914. Many had thought “the world safe for democracy.” Many had believed that the Great War was the end of all wars. Those who had forgotten the lessons of 1917 are beginning to arouse themselves. The message of Charles Upson Clark recalls martial scenes. It looks as though the world had not learned the lessons of peace, just as it failed to learn lessons from the war. Perhaps the average citizen has settled back to the same old apathy concerning world affairs. If he has, he can blame no one but himself for the failure of nations to come to some agreement whereby war will be made impossible.
Dr. Clark knows conditions in Europe. His predictions are based on knowledge of fact. If there should be a war, the University of Oregon would be called upon to take her place just as in 1917. Then what would culture and higher standards avail?
If Dr. Clark’s predictions are sound, four years of peace have been a failure. And if it has been a failure it has been largely because the people, including college students, settled back into the old pre-war apathy toward world affairs.
Editor’s note: This editorial was taken from the February 8, 1923 edition of the
Oregon Daily Emerald.