Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1909-12-29
DISCUSSING PEACE.

AT a discussion at Unity Hall. the
othcr evening, OF the causes of war and
agencies of peace, some of the speakers
maintained that wars were necessary
to reduce the surplus of production that
is sure to accumulate during long peri
ods OF peace.
L, s by. no means certain that there
Is ove~production OF the necessaries OF
life at any time. One cause of high
prices is said to be that production does
not keep up with the increase of popu-
lation And a writer In Golfers has
lately expressed the view that, In
twenty years from now the United
States will have no food stuffs to ex-
port Two millions of people, he says.
including immigrants, are added TO
our population every year. He asks,
"How are we keeping up with that 2
and then he goes on: 1.-The answer
IS that our soil Is steadily becoming
less productive. There being no pro-
portional increase in farmers, farm
labor has risen 80 per cent In the last
ten years. Farm products have cost
that much more on our city tables
They are going to cost as much more
in ten years We need fifteen bushels
per year more wheat, but our average
product per acre is becoming less In :
stead of more" II there Is any truth
in this, to advocate the deliberate de-
at;uction of any portion Of the products
of human labor seems a particularly
absurd effort
We do not destroy the property of
our ncighbor In order to open marke:
Tor q surplus. We do not set fire to his
house In order TO create employment
Tor masons, carpenters. plumbers.
pninters. etc, or to enlarge tho mar
let for furniture, carpets. and so On.
on the contrary, IL d conflagration does
cccur we do all in our power to put
the fire out. Civilized communities pay
large sums every year for an efficient
lire department. in order that dcstruc-
ton may be prevented as far as pos
sible This is foolish, II il Is true that
We must have periodic catastropheS
in order to relieve the market of IT'S
of destruction to attend to the business
or relieving the market, at regular in
tervaIs, instead of fire departments. But
that would, of course. be absurd.
War is nothing but evil Sometimes
good has come from the conflicts II
to human civilization has been pro-
duced by wars, that could not have
como through the agencies of peace
just as we'll.
And the day will surely come wher
peace will prevail. Somebody has just
suggested that Mr.. Roosevelt be called
home. and that he be given the com
mission from our government to oper
negotiations for Il plan OF uniting
England. Germany, Russia, Japan anf
the United States in a peace alliance
Such an alliance. II is thought. woul,
make war in the world impossible.
Perhaps so But q better plan woul,
be for some man of influence and talen
TO call the common people of the worl'
together under the pure, white flag, an
form brotherhood of peace. determn
ed TO work for that principle with a
the wisdom of the Jesuits and the per
sistcncy and enthusiasm of the Saliva
ton Army. Some such brotherhoo
would by and by influence government
TO form alliances and adopt a policy c
restriction of ornaments We fully eS
pect that from the midst of the In
dustrial classes of the world such a
organization will be formed. when th
time is ripe, and then we may look fc
results.