Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-08-05

against the Moroccan war, the SQUAD
bling between small South American
countries over boundry dispute, oil
are contemporaneous arguments
drawn from the daily newspaper
against the madness of militarism.
One does not have to go to ancient
treatises to preceive the hurt of the
war spirit. 1t is before the eyes OF
whosoever would look. The amazing
thing is that the common sense OF
humanity has not long since banished
the blight Of war
The tide of peace sentiment is
steadily rising all around the world.
or that there can be no doubt. In
stead of being the passion of the
choice few men and women OF re-
fined spirit, the conviction in favor
of international peace has begun 10
people, who have always furnished
the food for powder. Theirs are the
homes that are desolated by the cruel
science which spends lives as it
spends lead. After having furnished
the soldiers for all wars, the plain
people are also called upon to pay the
cost Of the same, although they are
rarely consulted as to whether OF not
war should be entered upon. A
deepened resentment against the aW-
full burdens which war lays upon the
workingman Is growing In the minds
of the proletariat.
This is the day of brotherhood. All
races are dreaming OF the unity II
mankind. That the ole bitterness,
misunderstanding and prejudlcGs
should give way to concord and fra
ternity is the desire of nations. But
it is simply impossible that anything
at all resembling day of universal
brotherhood should dawn while the
first concern of great nations is the
maintenance of huge armies and
navies.
The arts Of war are non-productive
arts. When most tustifiable they only
give protection for the development
of worthier pursuits. The usefulness
Of mankind, as well as the common
prosperity of the race, is promoted oy
peace and not by war Consider for
an instant the treasures of art and
anu ulSlOly lhdl ii1fS bSS'i
lost to mankind through the ravages
of war.
Some one raises the question, "But
does not war make men brave and
cultivate the other noble virtues
Let us consider. For week past the
principal headlines in the daily papers
have been devoted to the reopened III
quest at Annapolis into the death by
violence of a lieutenant of the United
States marine corps. The testimony
has thrown a food of light upon the
character and conduct Of some OF
these Officers and gentlemen who
supposedly represent military trad'-
lions at their best Here we find
drunkenness, brutality, snobbishness,
open neglect of the plainest military
duties, and still graver offences. II
we are to accept these conditions as
at all typical, or are to attach any
significance to the many divorces and
scandals reported from military
circles, we are bound to say that the
morals and virtues of the military
class are below those of the ordinary
day laborer.
Under the cover of the turmoil OF
war all kinds of base passions emerge
into activity. That heroism, self-denia
and patriotism are often evoked by
war no one can deny; yet even the
noblest of wars are used as cloaF
by horde of harpies who serve Their
own base ends at the expense of the
peoples patriotism. Consider tn
army contractors, who during thu
American Civil war, grew rich ..
cheating the federal government. Re-
call the .'round robin" letter In tn
Spanish-American war; which MI
Roosevelt himself signed. Remembe
, the army supply scandals which with
in the past decade have aroused re
spectively Great Britain, France AM
Russia. 1t would seem as if all tn
evils of graft find war time Pre-
pitious season for growth.
: The worst as well as the best i
J, human nature is evoked by the yoic
: of Mars. A distinguished cayalr
4 general in the confederate army ono
), told me how war dulls the fines
s sentiments of even noble men. Du
ing calvary charge" said he, II hay
n seen men ride over the bodies Of the
q own comrades, because the lust of ba
tie was on them" Indifference
human suffering is VIGOROUSLY e
It hibited on the battle fields.
+ After all, war Is beside the poin
n 1t proves nothing concerning the re-
n issue. War merely demonstrate
It which of the contending nations hf
$ the stronger fighting force. Their
e fore war Is not the embodiment
k Justice; instead 1t represents tt
D principle that might makes right
8 The ordinary war is quite like tt
,r childhood situation wherein the bl
ly says, when outfaced or out argue
well, can lick you, anyway" Y
all the while the bully has been in Il
wrong.
:, Why should men who are Inc
vidually friendly collectively try
murder one another? The units
the armies of the North and t
South during the sixties entertain
n no personal grudges. When opp'
y tunity offered they snapped tobac
D. and coffee and exchanged surreptitio
lie q