The Washington times., 1903-05-14
MEN OF WAR BEST
FRIENDS OF PEACE
DR.. Gates Address to Burnside
Post.

Grand Army of the Republic Hall was
filled last night with veterans and
friends who assembled there to cele-
brate the twentyfirst anniversary ex-
ercises of Burnside Post.
The assemblage was called to order
by Post Commander Jerome F. Johnson
who introduced L. K. Brown. chairman
of the committee on arrangements An
address was made by Merrill E. Gates
LII D., ex-president of Amherst College,
who paid tribute TO the valor and
bravery of the G. A. r. men. Addresses
were also made by Secretary Shaw and
Department Commander 1. G. Kimball
DR.. Gates Address.
In the course of his remarks Dr. Gates
said:
1T has come TO be almost a platitude
in addressing men of the Grand Army
to assert that the quick transformation
of million war-scarred soldiers into
million peaceful and Industrious citi-
zens was unexampled, and has made
all the world wonder. But there is an
especial reason at this very juncture in
our national history, why we love TO
dwell upon this fact, that the American
citizens who have known most of war
have been the strongest advocates of
peace and of government by the peaceable
administration of law and the peaceable
perpetuation OF right institutions.
The strong adherence which your
great commander, the war savior of our
country, Grant, felt for war and blood
shed when war could possibly be avoid
ed is too well known to need comment
1t js no accident that the mighty COM
mander who led many of you with the
thousands who went marching through
Georgia behind the most brilliant mill
tary genius of the last half century, Will
liam Tecumseh Sherman. should have
left upon record in singing and vigorous
phrase his own deliberate judgment. and
that of all thoughtful and Christian
soldiers is Helli
Should Favor Arbitration.
Perhaps the essential reason why
our patriot soldiers entered so natural
ly and so speedily into the peaceful life
of the nation and have shown them
selves so uniformly the advocates of
peace for its own sake. and if advocates
of war at all, only of war that was abb
solutely essential in order to secure
peace with justice and honor. has been
this great fact-that the soldiers trade.
as has been well said. is not Staying,
but being slain. That which renders
the soldier so honorable in the eye OF
every thoughtful man is the fact that he
is not a bravado whose trade is reckless
Staying. but that he holds his life at
the service of the state, and is willing
to be slain that justice may be done
and law and order may be maintained
among men.
rs it not true that tried soldiers are
far less disposed to blows and wordy
threats and quarrels than are men who
have known nothing of the discipline of
army lie or war? l am not speaking
now of the intiammable little soldiers
Of certain Latin races. who confound
the word honor with pompous boastful-
ness, and maintain the false and utter
~ Duerile code of dueIling.
Il am speaking OF American soldiers
or soldiers of Anglo-SaXon stock. And
from soldiers of this race the world has
a right 10 expect Intelligent and hearty
support of peaceful methods for the just
settlement of differences among nations
rather than the quick resort to war"