Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1910-12-19
Time FOR NATIONS
T0LAY DOWN ARMS
The Rev. F B. Short Delivers
Thoughtful Discourse on
Cost of War.
AN ESSENCE OF BARBARlsM
Strife Has No Place In the Relations
or Civilized and Christian
Peoples.


Gay, the Rev Francis Burgctte Short.
the pastor, delivered thoughtful dis
course on the topic: Peace on Earth.
or An International Court of Arbi,ra-
ton Necessity" The Rev. DR.. Short
said:
And suddenly there was with the
argel a multitude OF the heavenly host
praisins God. and saying, Glory to God
In the highest, and on earth peace good
VIII toward men."--Luke II: 10, H.
That was rather u strange note to
break upon the world nineteen centuries
hgo-Peace on earth. The nations then
were quite few. but they We're none the
less asscrtive and frequently sought to
settle real rights by resortine to really
wrong methods. Assyria. Babyloniu
Egypt, Persia, Greece and Rome had
all been engaged in the cruel and heart
less slaughter of men. The rivers and
the seas of these nations had all been
made red with rich and innocent blood
The strong We're slain the weak we're
left ut home to provide for family nee
esslties and to meet the taxes, neccssa-
ry FOR carrying on the wars. The de-
mands and the horrors of war are
heartless. The necessities of war are
defenscless and without foundation.
ana yet there Is not a nation that has
not been cursed with It's blight and
made poorer even by its so-callcd sue
cesses.
War may be necessity among bar
barians and the uncivlized but war
should be unknown among civilized
peoples. nor should 1t be heard OF
among Christian nations. The same
principle should obtain among nations
that obtains among the individuals of a
nation. Fighting Is not permitted
among individuals, though 1t is some
times engaged in A strong public senti-
ment condemns such procedure. There
are laws for the purpose of securing to
every man his rights. thus protecting
the weak agilinst the strong and pre-
wanting society from shameful and
brutal exhibitions of physical contests
and suffering. Why should two men
be permitted to disturb society simply
In their efforts to settle dispute?
Then why should two nations be per-
mittcd to throw the whole earth into
unrest and commotion Just because they
have some disagreement?
war Is fundamentally wrong because
IT does not necessarily settle n DISPUTE
right, because 1t always means slaugh-
ter and the stronger nation Ia gen.
orally victor. Among barbarous Deo-
PIES the sword was the usual means
of settling disputes. but as people be-
came civilized, there was ushcrcl in
the era of law. which was an important
step toward securing peace on earth.
This morning. do not assume to know,
but l believe there are now sufficient
laws and customs among the nations.
the which. II submitted to. would for
ever prevent the possibility of another
war. or this statement ] am sure. TINT
nj ftr az tS,fo 4
settle any dispute that might arise be-
tween any two nations. and settle that
dispute right without the shedding OF
blood. There are three erns in the Sc
curing of peace on earth. The first
era was evidenced by barbarians, who
used the sword: the second era Is evil
dcnced by civilization. which submits
to law: the third era is Christianity.
which must submit to the spirit Of him
who came to bring and to establish
peace on earth.
GREATER HAVOC THAN WAR.
But even war itself is not the greatest
possible menace. The talk about war.
the agitation of war In which many
people and some newspapers seem to
constantly engage; the creation of a
helliEercnt spirit, the construction OF
mighty Dreadnaughts. the increase in
national appropriations for war pur-
poses. the pittlng of nation against ma
ton as Is frequently done--Jnpan
against America, and England against
Germany: the increasing of our coast
defences--these are some of the things
that provoke greater havoc than war
itself. l say greater havoc than war
because 1t throws the nations of the
earth into a state of unrest DESTROYS
the Intercourse of friendship. intcrferes
with the progress of commerce, wastes
millions. that should be spent for ma
tionnl Improvement instead of for war
equipment; and further, 1t places the
emphasis of greatness upon the wrong
man. Therefore. | say that the inter
national court OF arbitration Is n nee
essity from the standpoint of finance
ethics and philanthropy. ION earth
peace. good will toward men," That Is
the ideal toward which we move.
Have you ever thought of the exceed
ing financial extravaganza of war? We
have usually considered it's loss or cost
MS measured BY the slain; but let US
take n look at the financial side Of this
subject this morning.
Europe has over thirty billions of dol
lars of debt. Most of that Is either fo
wars fought or wars imagined. Ant
the annual expense of maintaining thu
army and the navy and interests Incl
dental thereto Is over one billion ant
one-half dollars. Only few of us herr
can really appreciate these amounts.
Great Britain 1890 spent for her arm.
sS7,So0.OO0: for her navy $1I,765,0oo. Not
that the army expense Is greater here
Now for the next twenty years the nav!