Out of the smoke of battle another lesson is written for all who have eyes to read.  In view of the mistakes made by men who have absolute power it is now certain that exemption from criticism is a bad thing for any man, and that endless adoration destroys the ruler’s power to think in straight lines.  There never lived a man who was not injured by perpetual compliments.  Strong men are willing to pay cash for criticism.  Flattery will conceal the weakness, and they know that pitiless criticism will expose the danger and perhaps save them.  No man is so unfortunate as the man who is put on a throne lifted up beyond the reach of plain truth telling.  It is doubtful if so many blunders were ever made by statesmen and diplomats as were made at the beginning of this war.  Just think of one Government being wrong in all these particulars at the same time!  Lincoln said, “You can’t fool all of the people all of the time.”  Yes, that may be true in a republic, but you certainly can fool all the diplomats and Generals and do it all the time—­during July and August, in any event.  Call the roll of the diplomatic blunders, and the list is long.  First, England will be neutral and Ireland will keep her from going to war; second, Italy will be our ally; third, Belgium will be neutral and allow us to trespass upon her property and her homes; fourth, France is unprepared and Paris will fall within three weeks; fifth, an alliance with Turkey, despite her polygamy and butcheries in Armenia and the civilized world’s hatred for her cruelties, will help us; sixth, Japan will hold Russia in check; seventh, the Czar will be attacked by Bulgaria, Italy, and China.  It seems incredible that any ruler and group of diplomats could be so entirely wrong, all the time, on every question, for a whole Summer!  Was there no man as diplomat who had the wisdom to see that an attack upon England would end the disputes in Ireland?  And bind together Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, India into a new United States of Great Britain?  Was there no statesman with enough prevision of the future, and with courage to tell the people in Wilhelmstrasse that the certain result would be the United States of Balkany, to stand henceforth as a barrier between Germany and the Bosphorus?  Was there no one to remind Berlin that Italy had just completed a war with Turkey and that any treaty with Turkey meant inevitably the breaking of friendship with Italy?  Alas! for the man who is elevated to a throne, in whose presence men burn incense, pour forth flattery that he may breathe its perfume, sing songs of praise that he may slumber!