The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-05-19
WAR Is OUT OF FASHION
PROF. FORREST SAYS NATIONS ARE
BECOMING MORE PEACEFUL.
His Address q Feature of Annual
Peace Demonstration by In
dianapoIis Women.

The fourth annual demonstration of In
dianapolis women in behalf of peace and
international arbitration, in celebration of
The Hague peace conference. was held yes
terday afternoon at 3 o'clock at the Second
Presbyterian Church at Vermont and Penn
sylvania streets. Such demonstrations were
held by women in various cities of twenty
six other States.
The meeting yesterday was in charge
of Mrs. May Wright Sewall, chairman of
the National Council of Women of the
United States. Father Gavisk. rector of
st. Johns Catholic Church, pronounced
the opening prayers. Mrs. Sewall then
made short talk, in which she explained
briefly the object of the demonstration, and
told what was being done by the women
to bring about International peace.
Mr.. Lucius ID. Swift, who was to have
made the opening talk, was unable to be
present on account of illness. Prof. Jacob
ID. Forrest, of Butler College, spoke in his
place on the practicability of international
arbitration, referring to certain past arbi-
trations. Mr.. Forrest said that If important
problems have to be settled, then we can
point 10 the practicability of arbitration
But, he said, it has had its limits. War has
been resorted to in many instances, but it
is now becoming more rare and distaste-
ful. Every statesman and ruler of to-day
Is coming to- look upon 1t as undesirable;
public opinion condemns it. and it is be-
coming mere and more for peace. When
the people recognize their own interests In
peace, then, Mr.. Forrest affirmed, war and
strife will pass away. Aside from a hu-
manitarlan point of view, the movements
of peace are more noticeable in countries
of large capital and extensive industries.
NATIONAL DISARMAMENT.
There have been many suggestions for
the preservation OF international peace
That OF the disarmament of nations, The
Hague convention was not able to touch
An international truce for ten years was
suggested. Another plan was to reduce mil
itary service to one year. The suggestion OF
naturalization was also mentioned Mr.. For
rest made reference to its application at the
conference of Vienna, which nutralized
Switzerland in ISIS, and the naturalization OF
Belgium in 1851 Since then we have ceased
| TO think or these countries as engaged in
war. The speaker cited as the two most
important cases of arbitration the world
has known were those In 1872, between
Great Britain and the United States, over
the Alabama claim, and in 1898, over the
said the problems of the international peace
movement was 10 secure proper arbitrat-
ing tribunal. to provide for a permanent
tribunal court with permanent code, and
the acceptance of IL by the nations.
Mrs. Sewall then introduced Mr.. Flick a
young German, formerly soldier in the
German army, who made a short talk In
behalf of an international mace move.
ment Mr.. Flick said that it had been toe
easy for the soldiers 10 bring about war
| He pointed to the fact that If disarma-
ments were abandoned there would be mil
lions of men, now idle. who could turn
| their hands TO industry. Apropos to a tri-
bunal court, he made as his own sugges-
| ton that its members be selected by q
| vote of the public and not left to the DO
htical regimes of the governments. Mr.
| Flick said the existence of an Information
al Peace Council would be the uplifting
| of the peasants to higher patriotism and
love OF country.
Mr.. Wilson Doan spoke third. He said
| in part: THE idea that a god of battle:
places superior power in inferior numbers
whose cause may be just, is a supersti.
| tious religious notion that belongs to ar
| age of credulity and not TO a rational anc
| scientific age. Nature. reason and )rationa
| Christianity of the twentieth century will
| not believe it. Justice is not a product OF
| them or OF brute force: it arises from
reason of from the intellect and conscience
from that faculty of man which makes
| him the acme Of ereation-a son of God
Armed contests between individuals
for the establishment of asserted right.
/ are now outlawed and treated as barbar.
| ious by the civilized world. A nation Il
| but an aggregation of individuals II
armed contest between individuals cannot
secure justice neither can an armed con.
test between an aggregation of individual.
| secure justice
PART OF EVOLUTION.
| "But we are told that war is a part OF
| the process of evolution and that il 1:
only the problem of the survival of the
| fittest. This is a proposition that requires
our serious thought. for IL 1t be true. ther
Il Sc To lfrl1x
against the stone wall of destiny. TIL,
| The Christian world, at least in a modified
| FORM has accepted II and will reject every
thing that is against it,
Mr.. Doan mentioned the many instance.
/ where war had united countries. "But.
| he said. docs IL follow from this that wa,
| Is necessity or part of the great sys
| tenn of the survival of the fittest Her,
the error lies We have grown accustomed
| shocks US, but 5000 OF the many dead OF
| the field OF Gettysburg please u.s." Mr.
Doan closed by mentioning four reasons fol
the existence of war. They are: l. Be
| cause We are accustom 10 Ii. 2 Becaus,
of a false idea of bravery and fame 8
| On account OF an undue national irritabil
/ ity and lastly. the desire for power"
| Mrs. Sewall. after mentioning greeting,
/ from the following countries. where lik,
/ demonstrations were being held. Austria
Germany. France. Belgium. Switzerland
| short report of the progress of the Women,
Council She said the climax of success
was the resolution made by Massachusetts
which Is as follows:
'sResoIved, That the Congress of IN,
| United States authorize the President o
the United States TO invite the govern
| ments of the world to join in establishin,
I'm whatever way they may Judge expedien
| a regular international congress 10 NEE
! at stated periods TO deliberate Upon tn
various questions OF coming interests L
aud he H.
| thereon 20 the governments"
The meeting concluded with the singin,
OF a national song and benediction b,
Rabbi Missing, OF the Hebrew TEMPLE.