Evening journal., 1891-07-28
lLLiMITA6Le DESTRUCTION. THEN
PEACE.


Years ago Arthur Helps asked what was
the limlt OF all this soldering At that
time there were three millions Of men |
who might have been industriously EN-
ployed in useful arts, doing nothing but
drill, drill. drill Recalling that remark
aud query Walter Besant says
There are now twelve millions and the
number Increases every day. What Is
going to happen2 Perhaps this. see
the Eusope Of the next century. There
are twelve millions Of grown men in Great
Britain and Ireland alone Every one OF
them Is a soldier or a sailor past or pres
ent. In France, in Italy, in Germany. ia
every other country every man Is a sol
dier or sailor, past OF present The ships
are SO improved that invasion is easy
The channel protects us no longer; the
ocean protects our colonies no longer. All
the money Is spent upon war material
the stores are enormous; the country Is
vast barrRck the press Is silenced; oppo-
s,ti5n, poll ieal agitation, parties-all
are sil need science Is only of uee as IL
| invents new instruments OF war. The
roar Of srtillery has ceased war is
silent; the crack Of the rifle has cease I'd I;
there is no smoke TO be seen; the enemy
is invisible; balloons carry on war In the
air; submarine ships in the water
That Of course is simply fancy now,
but why should It not prove true in ex-
periencei
The art Of war has been constantly
improving From fighting with bows
and arrows at a distance OF City yards,
and besieging with catapults few cen
turtles ago, the mechanism Of small arms
and heavy ordnance has advanced to such
fearful destrHctiveness that the com.
batants may be entrenehed miles away
and still do greater amount Of damage
to life and property now than then.
Besant fancies that all war will sud
denly cease because some agent will be
invented far more destructive than any
thing known now by which child cal
annihilate an army or raze whole city
In that event there Will be no need for
/ armies or armored ships, because the de
fence against them will be 50 fesrfully
perfect.
} At the present time the world is re
arming, drilling more diligently than
! ever before, and building single ships
as costly as Napoleon's great and fata
I campaign to Russia
. Even the peace-loving and industriou
q people Of this country, who came here t
3 avoid wars and monarchical jealousle'
r have caught the war fever. We are testin
, big guns at an expense Of something lilS
3 $500 shot, including salaries Of inspect
ing officers carrying 900 pound missile
twelve miles and building crusiers at
\ cost Of g., 900, 900 each, to float UncI
l. Sam about the high seas with chip o
b his shoulder.
70 Il is all very ridiculous but as all Il
e world is engaged In the same foolishnel
.. it is difficult for this country to supprel
l. it entirely.
a We have suppressed it so far as Il
le standing army is concerned but Il
ID ship-building crsnks, subsidists al
ut general adventurers are getting in the
Id work in demanding navy.
e. But that should and probably win
re stopped with the fulfllment Of &
Nv present contracts. The United Stat
so should set the example of national d
il armament, except SO far as is necessa
ase for local police duty.
on Neither the armies nor the shil
ION should be needed They viii not
m needed in the system of republics
ing which the world is coming, when th'
the shall be government Of the people
es, the people for the people everywhe
re- The daJ 10 rapidly passing when