The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1878-01-11


Thev shall beat their sounds into plowshares
and their spears into pruning-hooks; nation
shall not lift up sword against nation, neither
shall they learn war any more.-ls. 2, 3.
IL must be conceded that in the present
stage OF the worlds civilization international
war is. perhaps, inevitable; but we submit the
proposition that war as the lawsuit of nations
belongs TO the barbara age, and christian civ
ilization demands that political powers settle
their disputes in some other way than at the
lannon's mouth.
1. Consider the expense Of MAINTAINING the
war system. 1t is estimated that it's annual
cost to christian nations in time Of peace can
not be less than one billion of dollars. The
Revolutionary war cost England seven hun
dred millions. The war of 1912 cost the L nited
States fifty millions.
2. Consider the loss OF human life in war.
Thomas Dick estimates that since the begin
ming OF history The number killed in war is
over thirty-hve thousand millions.
8. War does not punish those who really de-
serve the punishment. The leading men of
two nations get into soule quarrel. Instead OF
entering the field themselves and facing bull
lets and cold steel, they call Oh the people to
leave then farms, stores and workshops aud
ayenge the nations wounded honor. The Of
ticials SET up the quarrel aud the people do the
6ghhne.
:. IL the very nature OF the case war cannot
determine a question OF justice. You can't
prove that two plus two equals four by knock
ing q man down,-that is not question of
brute force. \ dispute between nations can
not be Justly settled by battle. - Night
makes right is no more true of nations than
individuals, Thomas Jefferson says: "War IS
an instrument entirely inefficient toward re-
dressing wrong, and multiplies instead OF less
ening losses.
8. War has no respect for religion. Some OF
the greateet battles were fought on Sunday
Wellington said: Men who have nice notions
about religion have no business to be soldiers.
q. Nature herself teaches that human beings
are designed to secure their rights in some
other way than by brute force. From the con-
struction of many birds and animals-as the
lion aid eagle-we would know that they were
to live by violence But with civilized man
reason, not muscle, should rule.
Ia excuse FOR wars it has been urged that
they are necessary as a means of self-defense.
Facts, however. are at variance with this
theory. In 1926 the American Peace Society
of Boston instituted an inquiry into the GAUGE
If some of the most prominent wars. The
following is a statement OF the result OF ther
search: Wars for plumber, twenty-five; ex-
tension of territory. forty-four; revenge,
twenty four: disputed boundaries, six; re-
speeding points of honor, eight; jealous OF
rival greatness, twenty-three. Out OF these
two hundred and eighty-slz wars not one was
waged in selfdefense.
false patriotism has made war popular.
The soldier has been the recipient OF eulogy
from orators lips, poets muse and historians
pen. But tine true grandeur OF nation is not
to be found in her military achievements
Seek not her glory in the bayonets that she
can command, IN the gun-boats that frown III
her harbors, in forts and military academies,
but look to hen schools, her laws, her churches.
and seas whitenel with LEI commerce.
There are indications that Negotiation and
Arbitration will take the place OF bullets IN
adjusting the disputes between nations. There
Is rapidly growing public sentiment; against
the va, -ystem. Nations do not rush TO arms
"a readily as they once did. one hundred
years ago tho dispute settled By tic Geneva
Tribunal would have called TIE two nations TO
arms. God hasten The day OF winch the angels
sung " Glory to God IN the highest, Oh earth
Peace, goodwill toward men"
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