effective partner in undermining Christian civilization, causing
the despairing peoples of Europe, friend and enemy alike, to
turn in every agony to those who denied the fundamental precepts
upon which our society rests.

"Some one has called this black despair, 'Satanism,' the belief
that the laws and deeds of God and men are set against the
victim. And we, through the perversity of a few men, have been
silent enemies of Christian faith and allies, indeed, or this
newer scourge of mankind. There are happiness and satisfaction
in the thought that we have not this fault to bear. It is not
strange to us that those who permitted narrow views and
ungenerous purpose to thwart our nation in its duty rest
uncomfortably under the accusations of the American conscience.
If temporary success is to be won at such sacrifice we cannot
think it worth the price.

"Nor can the blame be shifted. So far as was humanly possible,
objections were met. Reservations stating our complete
compliance with the fundamental organic law, needless as they
were in a strictly legal sense, were proposed. Others were
accepted where they seemed to be animated by proper motives, but
good faith prevented acceptance of those which proposed to
withdraw the pledge in the same document in which it was
plighted. As was observed in the address accepting the
designation as champion of the party, every boy in our schools
knows that war may be declared only by act of Congress and that
the American Constitution rises superior to all treaties. Still,
every friend of the Covenant was ready to acquiesce in proposals
that would state these propositions, and more, if that would