The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1895-06-05
Peace Work In its Relation 10 WO.
man.
BY HANNAH J. BAILEY.


BY HANNAH ]. BAILEY.
Address given before the National
Council of Women in Washington.
William Lad has said, "Meu make
war; let woman make peace" But is
it true that men alone make wars :?
Ruskin in his address Oh "War" at
the Royal Military Academy at Wool
wich, after addressing the cadets, turn
ed to the women present with these
words: eff it might be, l for one
would fain join in the cadence of ham,
mer-strokes that should beat swords
into plowshares !; and that this can
not be il not the fault of Us men. 1t
is your fault; wholly yours. Only by
your command or by your permission
can any contest take place among u.s..
And the real final reason for all the
poverty, misery and rage of battle
throughout Europe is simply that you
women, however good, however re-
ligious, however selfsacrificing for
those whom you love, are too selfish
and too thoughtless to lake pains for
mediate circles. You fancy that you
are sorry for the pain of others. Now
I just tell you this, that if the usual
course of wsr, instead of unroofing
peasants honses and ravaging peas
ants fields, merely broke the china on
your dinirg-room tables, no war in
civilized countries would last u week.
You know, or at least you might know
if you would think, that every battle
you hear of has made many widows
and orphans. We have, none of US,
heart enough truly to mourn with
these. But at least we might put on
the outer symbols of mourning with
them. Let every Christian lady who
has conscience towards God VOW that
she will mourn at least outwardly for
His killed creatures. Your praying is
useless and your church-goiDg mere
mockery of God, If you have not plain
obedience in you enough for this. Let
every lady in the upper classes OF
civilized Europe simply vow thai ,
while any cruel war proceeds, she will
wear black-a mute's black with no
Jewel, no ornament, no excuse for or
evasion into prettiness-I tel you
again no war would last a week"
This is harsh language, but it con.
tains truth. May we not ask If wo-
mans influence in such matters does
not begin even earlier than when wars
are raging? Soldiers are made i'll the
,ome when the mother dresses her lit
tie boys up in uniform, gives them toy
pistols and other toy firearms to play
with. Why, even the babies have
their toy soldiers to "play kill" Why
should little ones he taught such prin-
ciples? Aristotle long ago said :
"Let the very playthings of your chill,
dren have u bearing OH the lie and
work of the coming man." 1t is early
training that eXerts the greater i'll.
f1uence. Mothers should not allow
their children 10 have military toys, to
practise warlike games, or anything
that makes them familiar with taking
life, ~ a pastime. They should be
early taught the divine law as to the
sacredness of human life. and also the
golden rule. Show them that true
heroism consists in saving life and
property and in self-denying labors for
the good of mankind. Instil into the
minds of the boys and girls the noble
principles of forgiveness of injuries
and of overcoming evil with good.
Our beloved President, Mrs. Sewall,
has we'll said in her triennial address:
patriotic men can not be produced
where patriotic women do not exist in
the home" 1.-THE hand that rocks
the cradle moves the world" and wo-
man can do more than any other in
teaching the future citizen to insist up
ON arbitration rather than upon war
fare for the settlement of all national
or international difficulties. Says
Mrs. Sigourney: "Whatever may be
done by the cradle-side or the hearth
stone to promote the spirit of peace
and amity, let US do; let us breathe
into unfolding infancy the soul of
love let US touch for our daughters
the keynote of the angels song: let
US point our young sons to the rock o
st. Helena, and tell them that the
glory of the warrior IS but remorse.
o, if mothers would be more careful,
thoughtful and guarded in the train
ing Of their children, it might save
themselves much heartache, and save
the children to their country and to
the world, which needs carefully train
ed children so much.