The morning times., 1895-12-23
DIR. KENT ON WAR.
Money Should BE Voted Rather TO
Help the Unemployed

Money Should He Voted Rather to
Help the Unemployed.
Rev. DR.. Alexander Kent, of the Peoples
Church, delivered a most interesting SER
mon before a large congregation yester-
day morning. DR.. Kent chose as the theme
ofhis discourse THE spirit OF Christmas and
the spirit of war" He spoke in part as
follows:
Some thirty odd years ago Henry Ward
beecher, IN discourse on the growth of the
humanitles uttered the prediction that the
world had seen its last great war. Civili-
cation, he felt, had rea Ched a stage of de-
yelopment among nations, profes sedly
CHRISTIAN, that made war practically i'm
possible.
But the great preacher lived long enough
TO witness three OF the bloodiest conflicts
that history records, and all OF these among
the very nations leading the march OF human
progress and processing the principles of
the Prince of Peace. Within The past few
years there has been. think, In many minds
and hearts a considerable growth of the
hope that moved Mr.. Beecher.
The successes of arbitra tion in matters
that would once have been deemed ample
grounds for declaring war. has given
strength TO this hope. II made many feel
that national duels, like personal duels.
are ceasing to be regarded as either neces-
sary OF rational methods OF settling any
questions, either OF right or honor. The
recent message of the President reaffirming
the nations adherence TO what is known as
the Monroe doctrine and its determination
to enforce that doctrine at whatever cost
has met with a response from every part OF
the country which indicates that even re-
publican America is still subject TO the
war spirit.
ut is my belief that If war between
Europe and America grows out of the
Venezuelan issue it will not be becau Sc
President Cleveland or anybody else sees
in England's attitude a menace TO our
safety or to human rights and liberties.
but for other reasons altogether. 1t may
come because men of the stamp above de-
scribed desire to have it come because they
see in it a chance for personal gain and
are willing that any amount of loss shall
come to Others If only gain shall come 10
them. Or it may cCme because politicians
see in it chance for respite from the
grave and serious questions that our present
economic state has forced upon them.
They are ready tovote any amount of money
to give employment to men either in the
arts of war or in preparation therefore.
But they think it unrepublican and fatal
to the interests of each and all to take
any steps whatever to provide employment
for the people in the arts of peace.
'I believe the feeling that this constantly
increasing army of idle men ard women
can not much longer be restrained from
mob violence, has something to to do
with the readiness of politicians and people
to jump at the chance of quarrel with
England. They know that anything, even
death itself, would be to many a relief
from the present anxiety and distress.
War would draw large numbers into the
field from the Industrial pursuits OF life
and make places for idle men to fill. 1t
would create demands that would tax all
the resources of the nation to supply and
set in motion the wheels OF industry in
every department of productive and dis
tributive enterprise, and so shit the burden
of these troublesome questions to the shoul-
ders of the future.
War means more bonds, more debt, more
slavery, and when the war is over more
ideness, more suffering, and more starva :
tion. A people that are foolish enough and
wicked enough to go to war on such miser-
able pretext as this, will fully justify the
poor opinion which the plutocrats have
about them
at ia pleasant to note that The Wa ashing-
ton Times, SO unifnrmally on the side OF
the people, is not in sympathy with the
Presidents message on this subject. 1t