Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-05-19
Sunday Morning Talk
Our Part in the Worlds Peace.

LET US have peace" That is the insist
ent cry from many quarters, taken up and
sounded forth by imp os!ng peace confer
ences and International arbitration assem-
biages. And world peace is coming, for the
idea has ceased to be the exclusive posses
sion of few visionary dreamers with
Quaker blood in their veins; 1t is getting
Itself into the thought of leaders of social,
political and Industrial movements. One OF
the richest men in America Is as willing to
pour out his millions in behalf OF interna-
tional peace as the average autocrat is to
spend money on himself and family. The
very deadliness Of modern warfare Is speed
ing forward the happy day Of individual
disarmament. The burden Of maintaining
standing armies has become in some ma
tions so ,avy that the people clamor for
relief. The absolute folly Of war between
people whom the Creator has endowed with
common sense is becoming more apparent
day by day.
Grand. good things, then, these peace con-
ferences and Hague tribunals. The wonder
is the weary nations have had to wait SO
long for them; but let us not shout for uni
versal peace one day and the next day ex-
hibit in the field of personal, neighborhood
or community life the pugnacious, quarrel
some domineering spirit which Is the prl-
mary source of warfare on large scale.
In other words, the movement toward IN
ternational peace which has grown by leaps
and bounds the last year ought not simply
to reshape international policies, but 1t
ought to have a healthy, reactive influence
upon Tom and Dick and Harry, Jane, Mary
and Sarah. wherever they live and labor
with others. For there is deal of blcker-
ing and strife of which the world never
hears but which makes bitter the cup OF
life for multitudes day by day.
Now. to be honest, are our homes haplta-
lions of peace? Do people OF the same
neighborhood live habitually in consort?
Are the members of the office force to
which we happen to belong Of the same
mind in the pursuit Of their tasks! Is
there never any intrusion of Jealousy or
suspicion? And how about our respective
churches? Surely into their sacred pre-
cincts there ought never to stalk the spec
ter of discord and strife; but is this really
the case, honest InjunW
No. II we should all own up to the bottom
facts, we should be obliged to confess that
there is just as much need of peace move
ment in the world on a small scale as on
the large scale, and here Is where we all
can be ambassadors of peace. We may
never get appointments as commissioners
to Hague conference, or even as delegates
to an international peace congress, but II
we should start out to make peace within
the area Of our influence We should have a
fine large job on our hands. But it would
be a splendid and rewarding task for any
of us.
When a man once undertakes this role
Of peacemaker he finds that a good many
important qualities are brought into exer-
else. No man can keep peace or make peace
with us II he has not power of self-re-
straint If he lets himself go on a slight
provocation he foments discord. An even
handed sense of justice must go along, too,
for we don't want peace that Is based on
Injustice And then there must be some
courage boldly to stand up for the better
way, and good degree of magnanimity,
too, whereby you will forego certain right