Were it possible to ruthlessly kill the adult population of the world today, kill with it all its ingrained hatreds and misunderstandings, all its misconceptions and false ideals, all its memories of bitter defeats and longings for former grandeur, all its prejudices built up since childhood by careful propaganda on the part of jealous governments; were it possible to kill this adult population and take the children, young, untainted, unbiased and untaught; were it possible to teach them aright in a common conception of universal brotherhood and justice there would be no war when these children of today became the adults of tomorrw.

Can it be done? Of course we could hardly make a wholesale killing of the adults but can we teach the adults of tomorrow?

Sixty years ago these United States of Ameria were not united. They were torn with hatred. The land was divided into bitter camps. These factions fought the bloodiest war the world had yet seen. We are still mourning the cost of that war. When peace was brought about it was said that the hatred would never die out and that it was only a question of time before a second terrific struggle would rend the continent. But that struggle has never come and will never come. It is probably true that the hatred has never died in the hearts of those who fought. It has burned low but it is still there.

Yet who is so foolish as to say that this second war will come? There is no Mason and Dixon line except in the ragtime songs. With every passing year the boundaries of the two sections grow dimmer and dimmer and today there is a national unity that was never remotely dreamed of but scant sixty years ago.

And what is the reason? It is a common education. American free public education really grew up since the Civil War. It did not exist before to any appreciable extent. This free education is of such great significance in the bringing together of North and South because it is a common education. The children of the two sections studied the same books and

learned the same ideals. Even though they lived in the shadows of the bitter feelings of their fathers these children were drawn together by that common education and in two generations the wonderful work was done.

By the simple expedient of controlling education the German emperors built up from a group of warring provinces a German nation. Make no mistake, it was not the Prussian armies that made Germany; it was the Prussian system of education. By control of education, France built a nation that sacrificed 5,000,000 of its best manhood, not so much for the love of France as for the hatred of Germany. Napoleon knew whereof he spoke when he said, "Let me control the education of the children and I will control France." Had the United States warred against Germany five or six years the public schools of this country would have instilled in the hearts of the children a hatred of Germany that would never have died out.

This, then, is the power of education. And make sure of it, only in the education of the children of today lies the hope for the world of tomorrow. There is no other answer. We cannot cure war. When we say cure we presuppose a disease. We cannot cure this disease of war in the hearts of the people of today, not entirely in the people of tomorrow, not entirely in the next generation nor in the one after that. But this we can do. We can gradually wipe it out, reducing in each generation the old misunderstandings and hatreds and thus by instiling in the young the great common conception of peace and international understanding there will come a time when war between nations will have been eradicated even as the strife between the North and South in our own country has been eradicated.

There remains yet but a suggestion as to how this common education might possibly be brought about. Some will say that while we have free education in the United States and while it is possible to reach our children through the public schools, this condition is not to be found in other countries. But it is the educated people of a nation that control the des

tinies and policies of that nation and so we can begin the solution from the standpoint that a common conception and a common understanding in the schools of the world will bring about the desired end.

There is little more to say. It is a question for great educators, for universities, for international associations of teachers. One international association of teachers would do more toward the abolition of war than ten thousand international associations of diplomats and politicians. It is the teachers that build in the men and women of tomorrow the ideals of the world of tomorrow. The love and understanding between the United States and the Chinese people was brought about by a common eduation. How a common education? A large part of China's educated men and women went to school in American colleges here in the United States or in American colleges in China. This may illustrate the value of such a common training in ideals, conceptions and sympathies.

The suggestion is recognized to be vague. To start such a movement will require the work of many great men, preferably educators who realize fully the possibilities of education. To get any program under way will take years. It will take financial encouragement from wealthy men who are big enough to see the vision, for you may make sure that no government with its prejudice-ridden politicians would back such a plan. And this is the only hope for the future. There is no hope in world courts. A world court will no more stop strife between nations than a civil court stops strife between individuals.

American Notes-Editorial

We have received from the Playground and Recreation Association of America the following statement, with request that it be given the widest possible publiciy. It is a notable declaration of faith and purpose, which will win the approval and support of thoughftul Americans everywhere. It reads as follows:

Some 3,300 leaders in American life have signed a statement of twenty-one fundamentals in community recreation, made public by the Playground and Recreation Association of America.

The fundamentals are based on the Association's experience of eighteen years, during which the number of cities having organized recreation has increased from 41 to 680. One hundred twenty-five college presidents, thirty-seven labor leaders, and numerous manufacturers, governors, senators, mayors, authors, and prominent women have signed the code. Persons of all occupations, diverse political affiliations and various religious faiths, have given their approval. The fundamentals are as follows:

1. That in nearly every community with a population of 8,000 or more, there is need of a man or a woman who shall give full time to thinking, planning and working for the best possible use of the leisure hours of men, women and children.

2. That community leisure programs should continue throughout the entire twelve months of the year.

3. That it is the responsibility of the entire community to maintain recreation opportunity for all the citizens and that there ought, therefore, to be, as early as possible, support of the recreation program through public taxation under some department of the local government.

4. That there should be in every state a home rule bill, which will permit the people of any city or town to make provision under their local government for the administration of their community recreation.

5. That there is need in every community, even though the municipal recreation administration body be most effective, for private organization of citizens in their neighborhoods to make the fullest use of facilities provided, to make sure that what is being done is meeting the deeper needs of the people of the neighborhood.

6. That the emphasis ought not to be only on maintaining certain activities on playgrounds and in recreation centers, but also and definitely on the training of the entire people in leisure time activities, so that within the home, in the church, and throughout all natural,

human relationships there shall be the best opportunity for wholesome good times.

7. That the purpose in training children and young people in the right use of leisure ought not to be merely to fill up the idle hours, but also to create an active, energetic, happy citizenship.

8. That, even though the beginning of a city or town recreation program be children's playgrounds, other features ought to be added progressively from year to year, until music, dramatic activities, and discussion of public questions, training for more intellectual uses of spare time, and other valuable activities have been included, so that all ages and all kinds of people may find vital interest.

9. That every boy and every girl in America ought to be trained to know well a certain limited number of games for use outdoors and indoors, so that there will never be occasion for any boy or any girl to say that he cannot think of anything to do.

10. That most boys and girls should be taught a few simple songs, so that, if they wish, they may sing as they work or play.

11. That all employed boys and girls should have opportunity in their free hours to enjoy companionship and wholesome social life. 12. That through the community recreation program every boy and girl should come to appreciate the beautiful in life.

13. That adults, through music, drama, games, athletics, social activities, community and special day celebrations, should find in their common interests the opportunity for a common community service.

14. That every new school built ought to have a certain minimum amount of space around it, provided for the play of the children.

15. That nearly every new school building ought to have an auditorium, preferably on the ground floor, and should be so constructed that it is suited for community uses.

16. That if a suitable meeting place for community groups is not available in the schools or elsewhere, a community building should be provided through community effort.

17. That each child under ten years of age, living in a city or town, should be given an opportunity to play upon a public playground without going more than one-quarter mile from home.

18. That every community should provide space in sufficient area for the boys of the community to play baseball and football.

19. That every community should provide opportunity for the boys and girls to swim in summer, and, as far as possible, to skate and coast in winter.

20. That every boy and girl ought to have opportunity, either on his own home grounds or on land provided by the municipality, to