Marietta daily leader. (Marietta, Ohio) 1895-1906, 1901-06-09
The Place Of War
Application to History.

her men on the battlefield was practi-
cally irresistible. But the men of an
cient Sparta, splendid animals that
they were have perished and are am
ong the dim figures of the past.
On the other hand we behold men
who did not make war its own object,
who would have preferred a state
where fighting was unnecessary. They
fought because they had regard for
duty, and because they loved their
country. True and enduring fame al
ways comes unsought. We laud the
Revolutionary heroes. And rightly So
Yet are not they who fought for the
freedom of others more worthy of
praise than they who fought for free
dom for themselves? 1t is the artih-
cial stone which requires polishing,
eulogy cannot add to their glory.
Aristotle, the keen practical philoso-
pher, took it for granted that civlliza-
ton must always rest on slavery. He
thought that even free labor would be
best in the end it would mean so much
waste and expense to make the change
that it should not be attempted, yet
marvellous to say the change did come
it came through ideals of human
brotherhood and freedom.
The Revolution, the Civil War and
our lale war with Spain came not to
destroy but to lay the foundation of
building better than before. Wars of
this kind destroy the conditions which
make war possible.
Yet before discussing the possibili-
ties of worldwide peace as a problem
of practical diplomacy, few influences
which have made themselves but late
ly felt should be considered. First the
scientific spirit. 1t has led to inven-
tions which have changed the face of
the world. Each country is industri-
ally dependent upon others. If huge
wall should be thrown about any civil
lied country today it would either ut
terly perish or become as narrow as
China. Industrial functions also have
been freed and separated from mill
tary functions.
The second influence is the new
ideal. the ideal of human brotherhood
and freedom. Ian stands today on
the threshold of a new epoch, the era
of humanity has arisen. The higher
we go in any direction the more unity
we find. Monarchies, oligarchies, aris-
tocracies, democracies point to a pro-
cess of gradual unification. Mans
highest ideal today is OF no race but of
humanity.
In former ages tribes often migrated
from one part of the world to another,
leaving their trail stained with blood
and obtaining their new territory by
violence and conquest. But during the
past century millions of people peace
fully passed from one country to an
other.
The new ideal forbids narrow patrio-
tism. 1t does not say to love our own
country less but humanity the more.
Man was told centuries before Homer
to love his neighbor yet he is only to
day discovering his neighbor.
Man" says w. F. Robertson, will
mere bloodshed" While this is true
and right, all indications point to the
fact that argument and demonstration
must some day take the place of war.
The stern lesson of history is that
there can be no sudden dawning of the
| golden epoch. To call place of confer
ence therefore to arrange for disarm-
ament was nonsense. Nations will not
disarm, nor should they. 1t is the
duty of nation to protect it's people.
Might has always ruled the world and
might will always rule the world.
In the court room there is no dis
play of power Fright seems to rule)
but it is the physical strength of the
people who are behind the judge that
renders the criminal manageable. Re-
sistance is useless. 1t is the same
principle as is expressed in the pro-
verb ST Wis pacem para bellum. In
this case right and might have Joined
forces and it is for this reason that
| the decisions of our courts are given
by right and not by might. The ques
tion is can this state of affairs which
exists among individuals be establish
ed among nations? 1t is by no means
meant, however, that a court should
be established which should have the
power of settling disputes between ma
tions. Such court would be ridiculous,
The time for peace is not yet come,
no one can say when or how it will
come. But come it must for interna-
tional peace is the goal toward which
all real progress is tending and the
common ideal of the diplomacy of ma
tiOns.
This is the arsenal. from floor to cell