The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1893-11-22
War OH the Defensive.

War Oh the Defensive.
One of the speakers at the late Peace
Congress made the declaration that
war is on the defensive. This fact has
been often noted of late. 1t has be-
come so patent that the statement of it
is simple and natural. This fact is one
of the greatest possible encourage
ments. What are the evidences of its
| truth?
The first one to be noted is the
speeches and writings Of the military
class. Articles in the North Ameri-
can Review during the last two years,
as we'll as other journals, are sufficient
evidence, considering the tone in
which they have been written, that
the class of men who live by the mil
itary have felt themselves compel led
to defend the system against the ris-
ing tide of opposition to it. The op-
ponents of war have been called vi
sionary and impracticable, and fam
atical, and unpatriotic, but they have
suddenly become so numerous as to
compel attention, and to force the de-
tenders of the old system of force to
say the best things possible. of cruel
and unreasonable art. 1t Is true that
nothing new is put forward in these
defences, but the old argument are urg-
ed with an intensity that suggests de-
spair.
Another proof of the fact named a.
bove is the readiness and eagernes
with which the military classes, using
this word in its widest sense, take up
and encourage every thing which
tends to keep alive the military spirit.
Military drill in schools, the boys
brigade in Churches and Sunday
Schools, the military training OF the
telegraph and postal clerk in England,
are all pushed with zeal which is sug-
gestive of some extraordinary motive.
t The whole military system is being de-
veloped and modified and perfected
in every possible way, in order 10 make
it as i'm posing and fascinating as pos
sible, that it may not lose its hold upon
society. Parades and Naval reviews
and grand maneuvres, and sham bat
ties and sea fights, are made as mag
nificent as time and means will per-
NIT. The very perfection, therefore,
of the modern military system is
strong evidence that it is pervadad
with a feeling, perhaps largely uncon'
scious as yet, that its day Is nearly
over.
1t was once taken for granted that
war was the normal and unavoidable
condition of society. 1t was as natur.
al to fight as to eat, and men supposed
that they must fight in order to eat
This whole conception is now changed.
The majority of thin king men dare to
question this ancient idea, and many
an increasing multitude, dare to say
aloud what they think.
There is a great movement among
; the masses, in all their organized Ia
bors, against the military system
They feel its tyranny, its robbery its
slavery, its anti-social nature. They
are rebelling against it; they are de-
bouncing it openly they are threaten
ing to use against it that mightiesl
: modern instrument in the hands ol
the weak, the strike.
Opposition to war has gotten per-
manently into literature, as opposition
, to slavery did half century ago. 1t
is not only there, but it is becoming
very prominent. Some of the most
: popular books of to-day are auti-wal
books,-"Die Waffen Nieder" and
LA Debacle," both of which are un.
sparing arraignments of the awful
cruelties aud the inherent immorali'
ties of war. A poet of our own coun
try, rising poet, who is destined soon
to hold high place, who
holds already a high place in our
new literature, has dared to make
peace and its glories the key note o.
his song.
The peaceful adjustment of the Beh'
ring Sea difficulty has called forth al
amount of Interest and satisfaction
never before known in such a case
The interest has been Of a type alto
gether different from that awakened
; by the Alabama decision, n,-much deep.
er, more universal, more humanitarian
more Christian. Papers of all classes
have been full of it, have b6asted of it
as great triumph of civilization.
The new method of dealing with diff.
ficulties has been the supreme
thought, not what either country
got or suffered by the decision. Min
listers of the Gospel without number
have made it the theme of noble dis
courses. All this has made war, as a
a method Of settling difficulties, look
blacker than ever. 1t will have to
apologize again for its existence. A
better way has been at last, after years
of experimentation, really discovered.
Anything like warlike aggression is
frowned upon and openly condemned
by the whole civilized world. The
public conscience has become quick
aud sensitive in this regard. 1t will
be a long time before France RECEIVERS
from the disgrace into which she has
fallen through her recent treatment of
Siam. Not only in England, where
some lingering dislike for her neigh
Dor across the Channel may be sup
posed to exist, but in America, which
naturally loves and respects France,
has her treatment of Siam been uni
versally condemned. Not voice has
been lifted up in her defence. We
want to see no more of the spirit of
her Napoleonic times. Many of her
own best citizens have looked on with
shame to see her real glory and honor,
of which she had so much, again sac
rificed at the altar of the god of bat
ties.
What is the meaning of this new
conception of war? Wha promise
does it give, what hope does it inspire
for the future ? Wars may still occur
as the last efforts of Il decaying system
frantic, desperate wars: but attack
ing forces will with increasing c0ur-
age press their assault until every war
flag is down and every gun disabled.
The great peace victory draweth nigh.