The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-05-23
U. S. SHOULD LEAD FOR PEACE.

Discussions of value in the real uni
versal peace movement, not the kind
which is concerned with the construc-
ton of monster battleships and the in
creasing of all kinds of military arma-
ment, were INDUCED in during the
past week at the annual peace confer
ence at Lake Mohonk, N. Y. And CO.
incident with them comes a mighty
voice from the grave, as 1t were, in
the publication in pamphlet form of
one of the more recent addresses of
the late Justice David ]. Brewer. 1t
is entitled "The Mission of the United
States of America in the Cause of
Peace and was delivered by the
noted Kansan at a meeting of the New
Jersey State Bar association.
ITO lead in the cause of peace
said Justice Brewer among other
things in this most illuminative and
Instructive address, mo one of the
great nations is so we'll circumstanced
as the United States of America. We
are remote in distance and separated
by oceans from other nations, so that
if one of them were to attack us it
would be fighting at long range, and
it is obvious that such fighting is most
exhaustive and attended with the least
probabilities of success. OF course,
the same rule would obtain against us
were we to undertake an aggressive
war, but an aggressive war assumes no
desire for peace. In a defensive war
our location is a great defense. In
the second place, our resources of men
and material are such as to almost
guarantee against any attack. What
ever advantage might enure to any ma
ton by reason of its larger armament
would be only temporary in its nature
and would soon be exhausted by the
enormous resources of this country.
In the third place, no nation is in such
a financial condition. Our debt, COM
pared with that of other great ma
lions, is small, and if we had not been
foolish enough to squander money in
ironclads and army we might now be
a nation without debt"
And Justice Brewer believed that
the United States will not fail event
ually in fulfilling her great mission in
this respect, Notwithstanding the pres
ent opposition to peace in this coun-
try which is fostered by those who
have a pecuniary interest in the build
ing of massive vessels of war and other
engines of destruction. "She will
heed the summons" he said, "to the
lofty mission of peace. The blare of
the bugles and the beating of the drum
will give way to the song of the
angels; and the brotherhood of
man, which means peace be
tween the nations. will find its Hottest
expression in the unfoldings of our
history. There are three great forces
in our civilization, each of which.
more potent here than elsewhere in
he world, voices for international
peace, and government of and by the
people will heed those voices" These
forces Justice Brewer named as the
business interests, which look askance
at the prospect of war and dread the
destruction of property and business;
the laborers, who see that war means
waste and destruction of property and
who know that the cost of armies and
of navies is enormous and that cost
is made good by taxes which they are
compelled to pay; and, the women,
who have become such a potent force
in public life and whose voice is and
always will be potent for peace.
THESE are the great forces in the
life of this nation" concluded Justice
Brewer in a most notable peroration,
land as they unite in the effort for
arbitration and international peace
they will compel the public men of the
day to heed their demands.
at believe in the promises of Scrip
ture, that His word shall not return
unto Him void but shall accomplish
that which He pleases and shall pros
per in the thing whereto He hath sent
it; that the time will come when the
swords shall be beaten into plough
shares and the spear into pruning
hooks and when men shall war no
more forever.
with the eye of faith 1 see I'M
rolled on the ca Ivas Of the flfure a.