The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1875-05-23
"soe,al Progressv and Modern Civilization ="

gress and 'modern civilization" may vaunt
their victories before the world, there is 1
story before the world will give them cred
it for any great success. The immense !
standing armies of the present age are On I
entirely modern institution, and as indica-
tive Of social progress and modern civiliza- !
ton are not assuring. Previous to Will
in England were unconstitutional. To the
PlaDtageneta and Tudors they were totally
unknown. Queen Mary paid what sold
iers she required out of her own privy
by rthumberland's misruie. The small
standing army which existed under the
last of the Stnarts was justly regarded with
aversion by all parties In the State. 1t was
the Revolution under William III. which,
by altering the relative positions of the
Prince and Parliament, altered also the rel
alive positions of the army and people. By
voting a standing army Engiand's consti-
tuition was overthrow and "social progress"
made one slip towards that curiously anon
a1ous position it at present holds. Since
then to ''social progress" and our Dutch
William we owe our standing armies, let |
us see what "the idea" has cost the world.
Previous to the Franco P, ussian war five
million men, the very pick of the young
manhood of Europe, stood idly under arms.
This estimate does not include militia, ma
tional guards, landwehr or volunteers.
Were these added it would be found that
upwards of ten million men stood ready in
| training for cutting each others throats,
works Of art, the collection Of centuries, in
suiting maidens, and all those other little
| amenities which go to the making up of
| military life and the achieving of military
glory.
five would know what this "cutting
each others throats" amounts to, we have
only to revert to the smiles of agony"
spoken of by DR.. Russell (the London
Times correspondent as seen in the late
war on the Rhine and Moselle, when tens
| of thousands of men lay wounded, manged,
mutilated, some of them out of the very
semblance of humanity, come dying a lin
geripg death, and others slowly recovering
to live q more horrid life. But it is to the
| cost in money of this institution of "socisl
progress that we would moro particularly
draw attention, since to estimate the moral
| effects, destructive qualities or political
consequences of these standing armies is
simply impossible.
The military and naval expenses of Eu-
rope amount annually in money alone to
1920 900 600. Add to this the interest of
capital sunk in naval and military estab-
lishments Estimated at $l26, COO, 000) the
loss to society by the withdrawal of Eve
millons of men from profitable employ
ment ESTIMATED at $l.2sl 1901 0O) and we
have in these three items alone an annual
sum of money extracted from the toiling
millions of Europe in the name Of "social
progress and modern civilization" which
would pay the board, at 90 week, of two
thirds of the population of England for q
year. Aud all this expended in enabling
five millions of men to cut scientifically and
skillfully each others throats, and destroy
In England alone the expenses of her
: army and navy for thirty years would pay
off the whole national debt. And what ia
the condition of the people in the various
countries of Europe from whom this pro-
digious sum is yearly extracted Toilins
? starvation from their doors. Behold those
toilng millions spread over the whole
: face Of Europe from the Rock o
Gibralter to the Ural Mountains from the
> straits of Constsntinople to the Shetland
Islands-see them swarming by day Il
J their labor-working ceaselessly from day
b break to dusk in mines, ip factories, il
forges, in docks, in workshops, warehouses
I. in equalid garrets-braviug dangers on rail
= ways, on lakes, on canals, on the Ocesn-
penetrating into the bowels of the eartl
3 and the gloom of the forest. Behold thes
toiling millions with the sweat of a year
toll still upon their garments reckoning nj
); at the years end the amount of their year.
saving and alas behold just when the.
y have made up the last item, their Gotta g
Il opens, "Social Progress" enters in and de
: mauds in tones OF authority which nom
. dare disobey. q tax amounting to no less
9 sum than ga, 200, 900 600 or "a, 600, 600, O0
70 sterling. And this is modern civilization
- Buty you will ask-How much better OF
we're the nations of the earth before ''socia
progress" invented standing armies will
e tell you. That ware will alVdyS be, great
II ~ fear. Certainly our modern progress
. has not diminished their frequency by in
creasipg the facilities for prosecuting them
That W ars did exist in medieval times
q admit bnt an armed peace is in reality
= continue ed war and 1.-THE nations of Europe
~ during the Middle Ages fought frequently
\ perhaps more frequently than now
= their soldiers at least retained Immediately
:, to their cottages rather than to barracks
. they resumed the plowshare instead of re
y naming inactive by their guns. In al
but the bloodshed an armed peace is con
- tinued war /; and even in the matter O
+, bloodshed and obstruction of property, the
scientific nature of our modern armament