Marietta daily leader. (Marietta, Ohio) 1895-1906, 1901-06-09

| spoke as follows on The Place OF War
in History"
History" says an eminent author,
'is a great and deeply moving drama
that is rapidly advancing into flu
ture that is hidden from view"
This comparison reveals history s
most important characteristic, it's uni
ty. The parts of history are woven
together IN a seemingly inextricable
manner. Each event is related to
what precedes as effect. and to what
follows as cause.
The larger area of the history of the
world is full of pathos. When one
| looks at this long drama with all that
is encouraging, NOBLE and uplifting in
| it. yet with its gaps of sin misery, and
suffering, he is led to wonder if what
has been achieved is worth the price.
But on the other hand comes the over
whelming feeling, Throughout the
ages one great increasing purpose
runs" The moral education of hui
manity is an end worthy in itself
No one asks whether there is true
advance in history, it is taken for
| granted. The study of civilization Is
ruled by the idea of progress, for hui
man history is a record of evolution.
Considering history in this light let
us examine the part that war has
played in it with the view of determ-
lining whether or not war will have a
permanent place in history.
From the earliest times man has
been engaged in war. His earliest i'm
plements were instruments of destruc-
ton. In the pressure of earliest needs
revenge was looked upon not as a
crime but as a virtue. This spirit of
unsparing hatred was fruitful source
of strife
The earliest ideal was the warrior
Even when civilization came the two
vocations respected for themselves
were war and political life All things
fundamental to society, planting, reap
ing, grinding were performed by
! slaves.
In art, even till medieval times, it
was war and chivalry that furnished
the subject, never common humanity
The earliest Greek poems are the ac.-
counts Of single infamous war. and
the adventures of it's understanding
leaders.
The state arelationshipw whose pur-
pose is the protection of the individ-
uals embraced by it. The state exists
wherever man is found. Arising from
the instinct of self-preservation, war
necessarily rose TO the plane of pro-
tecting the state, and revenging its cit
izens. War was regarded as a thing
in itself, through which enemies were
destroyed, power gained by the state,
and honor reaped by the leaders. Con-
quest, enlargement of dominion, and
the struggle between civilization was
the result
In Luther's time the principles of
individual liberty became victorious.
From that time mans view of war and
the state gradually changed. Poll
tical morality came to be reorganized
and the extensive operations of Charles
V. led to the conception of the bal
ance Of power" When Napoleon, the
Corsican savage, came on the scene ii
was in the name of the balance of
power that the nations united against
him. And though the balance of DOW
er has gone into chaos and scores OF
wars have been fought since then, it is
a significant fact that no small num-
Der of them have been revolutions.
During the past century every coun-
try of Europe except Russia became
Democratic in principle.
Peace at any price is not to be pre-
ferred to war. but on whole the
numbelless wars the world has seen
shows that man is long time learn.
ing the stern lessons of philosophy
teaching by experience" Conquests
initiated by cruel greed, the settling OF
childish disputes by war, war which
serves nothing but to crafty the in.
sane whims of one man, can have nc
significance in history. Such wal
must always be deplored.
How proud then every American
heart should be that the most import
ant of the few wars which possess
meaning in history have been fought
and won by the United States. Wal
has been waged for q cause never
against any other nation. Such wars
have an incalculable effect upon thu
cause of peace.
1t has been said that if a spirit o
brotherhood were universally diffuseC
and a system of international morality
established war would cease Such re
lations must be the result of natura
growth. Nations do not say go TO
let us compile international law.
nf, 10 -