The evening times., 1898-11-07
The Virtue of War.

II is significant that the most hys-
terical of the enemies Cf expansion are
most bitter in their condemnation of
the recent war with Spain, and OF all
wars. In world in which written his
tory is hardly more than a record OF
successive wars; in which the tallest
monuments commemorate deeds of
valor on the field Of battle; in which
military titles are regarded as most
honorable; in which the sons of the
noblest houses can find no more worthy
career than that of arms; in which the
military spirit is maintained by appro-
priations for the support of voluntary
militia organizations and by public SEN
timent-in such world there is little
hope that the advocates of perpetual
peace can easily bring mankind to the
practical adoption of their principles
nct even with the Car of all the Rus
sias TO propose a general disarmament
Many years ago a gentle reformer.
Arthur Helps. deplored the fact that
the culture of the age was not arrayed
against war. He was more shocked by
The horrors of war, the passions that
can be allayed only by phlebotomy on
such scale as 10 make the rivers run
red, than by the reverse spectacle of a
patient bearing of wrongs that cannot
be Tigiited in any other way. The de-
plorable consequences of war do not
end with the loss Of vigorous men on
the field and with the suffering in pri-
vate homes, but generations are taxed
to pay the enormous money cost, at the
expense of earnings that otherwise
might be devoted to education and other
benefcent works. Being against the
spirit Of his generation and of his coun-
try. which fought to extend its politi-
cal power in order 10 spread its ciyiliza-
ton, the appeals of Arthur Helps re-
ceived no Endorsement from society and
had no visible influence.
Today his appeals are renewed by or
ganized bodies of men and women, who
propose to abolish war In this country
hardly more than a year ago, the organ
ization had the apparent approval of
great many people Yet when Spain
obstinately refused to abandon her op-
pressive policy in Cuba, only an insig-
nificaht minority of chronic fault-find-
ers and handful OF politicians failed
to cry out for the arbitrament of war
and failed to join. in the wild enthusi-
asm with which the news of every dis
aster TO the enemy was received by the
country. Civilization has not advanced
byssuch leaps and bounds that the most
progressive nation is ready to submit
the question of its rights to the decision
Of any tribunal or to relinQuish them in
order 70 evades the shedding of blood
Against the realization of the dream of
a perpetual peace is the doubt whether
absolute justice can be made the aim
Of human government and whether il
is wholesome for a race OF men to bear
what they believe to be wrong and
whethef the love of military glory is
extinct
1t is pot to be forgotten that war it,
self has been a great factor in the pro-
motion of civilization. Destructive con-
flicts have been waged for conquest
only, hut often their consequences have
been beneficent, especially in the spread
of knowledge. Aristotle brought back
from Alexander's invasions something
better than fame and political power
imperishable intellectual treasures
gathered from strange peoples In their
long wanderings. In our own age war
has been an educator. 1t has not al