Bluefield evening leader. [volume] (Bluefield, W. Va.) 1906-1911, 1909-04-29
PEACE CONFERENCE


5ay OF Rev. DR.. Morehead. of Salem.
Hho was en- route to Chicago TO az
lend the National Peace Conference,
reminds us that there is little dan
ger that too much attention viii
be devoted TO this important gath
ering; the danger lies n the disposi-
ton to underestimate the present
Importance OF that and similar move
ments against the spread OF militia
rism. The Wheeling Register notes
with pleasure THAT West Virginia
will be represented by twelve dele
gates appointed by Governor Glass
cock, in addition to the college pres
dents, who are especially invited.
National and international gath
erings for the purpose OF furthering
the cause OF universal peace have
been frequent during the past few
years, yet we find the great powe IS
spending money for ornaments az
on more lavish scale than at any
tine in history. Weak nations are
thereby being impoverished. AMI
strong ones crippled. viii an army
Of militarLsts throughout the world
are proclaiming the paradoxical
theory that the most effective meth
Cd of preserving peace is by pre-.
pairing for war.
England has a med TO maintain
navy equal to the next two strong
est navies, plus 10 per cent, a1l
has recently discovered that even
such powerful navy will prove in
effective without an army of at least
4 million men. In our own country
we have finally passed Germany as
nava' power, and whenever the ca
Dles carry news OF plans for a new
warship over there, our jingoists
throw us into a paroxysm Of fear
hat we may surrender our prestige,
order to create sentiment favora-
ole to greater naval expenditures.
And so ii is with the other old-world
nations, with Russia, and with Ja-
pan, both impoverished by their late
var, but frantically striving to build
up powerful navies.
And all for the preservation OF
eace, for are we not tod that pow
erful guns are not to kill men, thai
Dattleships are not to fight with
hat big and expensive armies anC
navies are merely beautiful tokens
Of nations love OF peace? We are
spjnding two-thirds of our enor-
nous revenues on pensions for past
wars, and on equipment for wars
yet to come. The world is mad on
he subject, and Uncle Sam has fall
en- victim to the contagion.
Is it not time to cali halt, to
teach our people that big navy is
not the symbol of national great
less? America has developed AMI
riourished without a single war OF
conquest; her greatness was aehiev-
d through the victorious peace
Charles E. Jefferson. in conc uding
IN able article on The Delus.on OF
Militarism," in the Atlantic Month
~, says:
VIII America become a leader?
At present we are an imitator. How
humiliating to tag at the heels OF
Great Britain in the naval preces-
sion, haunted always by the fear
hat we may fall behind Germany?
Why not choose a road on which ii
will be possible to be first? Why
lot head the procession Of nations
whose faces are toward the light?
This is Americas opportunity. WI
he, by setting a daring example. ar.
rest the growth OF armament
throughout the world? Tie .ation
which does this is certain of an i'm
1erishable renown."
A glorious opportunity is opened
TO the delegates to the coming pea.e
congress. 1t is possible through the
publicity given to their proceed
ings, and through such plans as they
nay adopt, to educate public seati-
nent, and TO undo much of the mis-
hief which has already been
wrought in this country by the jim
goists.