Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1901-05-02
THE PHILOSOPHY OF PEACE.

THE PHILOSOPHY OF PEACE.
The Des Moines Leader, quoting
from the following statement of Gen
eral Miles in Golfers Weekly, takes
an exceedingly pessimistical view of
the world, viewed from a moral and
Christian standpoint. General Miles
says: n
There never was time when more
men were engaged in the profession of
arms, or when nations expended so
much treasure in their equipment for
war"
The Leader is impressed with this
statement, and if it were taken with
out considering ali the circumstances,
the world would, indeed, present a
gloomy condition of the philosopher or
statesman. The Leader has not re-
garded all the circumstances, and is
therefore led to eXclaim what a gil
gantic mockery to talk of Christianity
when christendom is an armed camp"
1t was Senator Stephen A. Douglass
who, in his great speech for the Union,
made this memorable utterance which
has been SO often quoted: "The short
est way to peace is through the most
stupendous preparations for war" If
the government could have brought
one hundred thousand trained soldiers
to the union cause at the outbreak Of
hostilities, the rebellion would have
been crushed at once. We all may re-
greet the necessity that compels old
world nations to maintain large mill
tary establishments, but the truth can
not be ignored. The presence of great
armed bodies in both France and Ger
many has alone prevented war be-
tween these nations during the past
twenty years. The peace of Europe
has been maintained alone by the well
advertised facts that the powers are
ready for war at any time that an
enemy may hazard the initiative There
have been no great wars between first
class powers since that of France and
Germany. and there is not a nation in
Offices to prevent a war between any
of the other great nations, well know
ing that it would be almost impossible
for a war to break out that would not
eventually involve continental Europe
as well as great Britain. The great
armies of the present day are not
therefore to be regarded as a standing
menace to peace, but rather as inter-
national police, charged with not only
the defense of their respective coun-
tries, but as substantial evidence that
great armies may exist and yet do no
fighting.
There are some unsolved problems
lions to be very cautious; there are re-
cent inventions that, if brought into
play by two large armies, would lead
to practical humiliation under certain
conditions that are liable to arise. 1t
will be a grand result when the
achievements of modern science will
lead to the discovery of such distinct
i've agencies, that wars will become
farces. There is a marked tendency
in that direction and it cannot be de.
MED that such results could not be Sc,
cured without the influence of large
military establishments and the mill
tary spirit properly developed. So it
comes about that while the outlook
does not have an inviting aspect to
those who will be pessimistic under all
circumstances, yet there is a grand
plan now, and as there always will be,
by which the wrath of man is to be
made to praise Him who is the Prince
of Peace, as we'll as the ruler of the
nations.