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Since the paragraphs that make up the foregoing chapter were
written the American academic community has been thrown into a
new and peculiar position by the fortunes of war。 The progress
and the further promise of the war hold in prospect new and
untried responsibilities； as well as an unexampled opportunity。
So that the outlook now （June 1918） would seem to be that the
Americans are to be brought into a central place in the republic
of learning； to take a position； not so much of dominance as of
trust and guardianship； not so much by virtue of their own
superior merit as by force of the insolvency of the European
academic community。
Again； it is not that the war is expected to leave the lines
of European scholars and scientists extinct； although there is no
denying the serious inroads made by the war； both in the way of a
high mortality among European men of learning； and in the way of
a decimation of the new men on whom the hopes of the higher
learning for the incoming generation should have rested。 There is
also a serious diversion of the young forces from learning to
transiently urgent matters of a more material； and more ephemeral
nature。 But possibly more sinister than all these losses that are
in a way amenable to statistical record and estimate； is the
current and prospective loss of morale。
Naturally； it would be difficult and hazardous to offer an
appraisal of this prospective loss of morale； with which it is to
be expected that the disintegrated European community of learned
men will come through the troubled times。 But that there is much
to be looked for on this score； that there is much to be written
off in the way of lowered aggregate efficiency and loss of the
spirit of team…work； that much there is no denying； and it is
useless to blink the fact。
There has already a good deal of disillusionment taken effect
throughout the nations of Christendom in respect of the temper
and trustworthiness of German scholarship these past three or
four years； and it is fairly beyond computation what further
shift of sentiment in this respect is to be looked for in the
course of a further Possible period of years given over to the
same line of experience。 Doubtless； the German scholars； and
therefore the German seats of learning whose creatures and whose
custodians these German scholars are； have earned much of the
distrust and dispraise that is falling to their share。 There is
no overlooking the fact that they have proved the frailty of
their hold on those elementary principles of sobriety and single
mind that underlie all sound work in the field of learning。 To
any one who has the interest of the higher learning at heart； the
spectacle of maudlin chauvinism and inflated scurrility
unremittingly placed on view by the putative leaders of German
science and scholarship can not but be exceedingly disheartening。
It may be argued； and it may be true； of course； that much of
this failure of intelligence and spiritual force among Germany's
men of learning is of the nature of a transient eclipse of their
powers； that with the return of settled conditions there is due
to come a return of poise and insight。 But when all due argument
has been heard； it remains true that the distrust set afoot in
the mind of their neighbours； by this highly remarkable
exhibition of their personal equation； will long inure to the
disability of Germany's men of learning as a force to be counted
on in that teamwork that is of the essence of things for the
advancement of learning。 In effect； Germany； and Germany's
associates in this warlike enterprise； will presumably be found
bankrupt in this respect on the return of peace； even beyond the
other nations。
These others have also not escaped the touch of the angel of
decay； but the visible corruption of spiritual and intellectual
values does not go the same length among them。 Nor have these
others suffered so heavy a toll on their prospective scholarly
man power。 It is all a matter of degree and of differential
decline； coupled with a failure of corporate organization and of
the usages and channels of communion and co…operation。
Chauvinistic self…sufficiency and disesteem of their neighbours
have apparently also not gone so deep and far among the other
nations； although here again it is only a relative degree of
immunity that they enjoy。
And all this holds true of the Americans in much the same way
as of the rest； except that the Americans have； at least
hitherto； not been exposed to the blight in anything like the
same degree as any one of those other peoples with whom they come
in comparison here。 It is； of course； not easy to surmise what
may yet overtake them； and the others with them； but judged on
the course of things hitherto； and on the apparent promise of the
calculable future； it is scarcely to be presumed that the
Americans are due to suffer so extreme a degree of dilapidation
as the European peoples； even apart from the accentuated evil
case of the Germans。 The strain has hitherto been lighter here；
and it promises so to continue； whether the further duration of
the war shall turn out to be longer or shorter。 The Americans
are； after all； somewhat sheltered from the impact； and so soon
as the hysterical anxiety induced by the shock has had time to
spend itself； it should reasonably be expected that this people
will be able soberly to take stock of its assets and to find that
its holdings in the domain of science and scholarship are； in the
main； still intact。
Not that no loss has been incurred； nor that no material
degree of derangement is to be looked for； but in comparison with
what the experience of the war is bringing to the Europeans； the
case of the Americans should still be the best there is to be
looked for and the best is always good enough； perforce。 So it
becomes a question； what the Americans will do with the best
opportunity which the circumstances offer。 And on their conduct
of their affairs in this bearing turns not only their own fortune
in respect of the interests of science and scholarship； but in
great measure the fortunes of their overseas friends and
co…partners in the republic of learning as well。
The fortunes of war promise to leave the American men of
learning in a strategic position； in the position of a strategic
reserve； of a force to be held in readiness； equipped and
organized to meet the emergency that so arises； and to retrieve
so much as may be of those assets of scholarly equipment and
personnel that make the substantial code of Western civilization。
And so it becomes a question of what the Americans are minded to
do about it。 It is their opportunity； and at the same time it
carries the gravest responsibility that has yet fallen on the
nation； for the spiritual fortunes of Christendom are bound up
with the line of policy which this surviving contingent of
American men of learning shall see fit to pursue。 They are not
all that is to be left over when the powers of decay shall begin
to retire； nor are they； perhaps； to be the best and most
valuable contingent among these prospective survivors； but they
occupy a strategic position； in that they are today justly to be
credited with disinterested motives； beyond the rest； at the same
time that they command those material resources without which the
quest of knowledge can hope to achieve little along the modern
lines of inquiry。 By force of circumstances they are thrown into
the position of keepers of the ways and means whereby the
republic of learning is to retrieve its fortunes。 By force of
circumstances they are in a position； if they so choose； to
shelter many of those masters of free inquiry whom the one…eyed
forces of reaction and partisanship overseas will seek to
suppress and undo； and they are also in a position； if they so
choose； to install something in the way of an international
clearing house and provisional headquarters for the academic
community throughout that range of civilized peoples whose
goodwill they now enjoy a place of refuge and a place of
meeting； confluence and dissemination for those views and ideas
that live and move and have their being in the higher learning。
There is； therefore； a work of reconstruction to be taken
care of in the realm of learning； no less than in the working
scheme of economic and civil in