The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1912-05-11
A Plea Forlnternational Peace
tOration by George Leonardl.

the prophet Isaiah gave TO the world
this message. He shall Judge among
natious and shall rebuke many people.
They shall beat their swords into plow-
shares and their spears into pruning
hooks Nations shall not lift mp
sword against nation neither shall
they learn war anymore" Yet today
we hear the rattle OF musketry In
Mexico we see Italy and Tripcli en-
gagged in bitter strife we see the fields
of China drenched IN blood But it is
no longer actual war which is our
greatest curse, but the ever present |
danger and tear of war which hangs /
over the world like pail. Because OF
this danger and fear OF war. England
builds battleships in order TO remain
mistress of the seas Germany COM
pels her underclass 10 shoulder the
m usket in order TO retain her suprem-
acy on land The United States is
struggling to be on equal footing with
both these powers. Japan Is demand
ing the vitality of her people in order
that she may compete with others OF
the worlds powers. while the other
nations are pauperizing their subjects
| in an effort To become recognized
among the leading countries. Truly
Isaih prophecy has not been realized.
Not all the swords have been beaten
into plowshares nor all the spears into
pruning hooks
Yet il we examine war. we find that
il is uneconomic, is barbarous, and is
futile Let W. consider the cost OF war
in dollars alone The war expenditures
of the United States exceed $500, 600,
900, yearly. This money would build
3, $50 school buildings at valuation OF
$50. 900. We have at the present time
$50, 600 names on the federal pension
list, which necessitates orr distributing
yearly $3.50. 600. 600, enough money in
pensions alone to build 1000 school
buildings each worth $50, 600 Note
that these expenditures are not the cost
OF war but the money spent in prepar-
alton for war and in payment OF the
soldiers tor their services, while the
actual cost OF war itself cannot be es-
timated. Our war with Spain cost the
United States $3.50 900. 600, enough
money to give 20. 900 studens four.
years course in the University of
Michigan The loss in the commercial
and agricultural world is incalcuable.
DELAYED cargoes idle ships. deserted
and barren fields, and wasting crops
are all parts OF the great tax which
war demands of the pepole. Charles
. Sumner once summed up the cost OF
war in a single memorable paragraph
"Give me the money that has been
spent in war. he said, and will
clothe every man, woman, and child,
in an attire OF which kings and Queens
would he proud will build a school
house In every valley over the whole
earth. will crown every hillside
with.a place of worship consecrated to
! the gospel OF peace.
But the financial cost of war is not
our greatest objection to it. War de-
: mands the blood of men TO accomplish
its purpose. II takes father from chill
dren. husband from wife, and son from
. mother, Appealing. TO the animal
instincts Of man. ii aims 70 settle al
questions by the point of the sword
, rather than by reason. 1t creates
luminosity and promotes jealousy be-
tween nations. Ii is relic Of the days
when the battle axe was the sole power
by which differences between men and
nations we're decided.
Yet this vast expenditure OF lives
and dollars does not accomplish ~
purpose of establishing justice between
nations. As Lyman Abbott says,
T. Justice is something which war never
has nor never will establish. A tria
: of strength will never determine which
OF two parties is right IL can only
determine which of the two is strong
J er. II the United States should seize
Canada, IL would not prove that sh'
WAS justified in such an act but tina
: she had the power to do 50. II England
should in time of strife sink our navy
IL would not prove that such an 40
was just, but that England was rule
OF the ocean.
Since then war is uneconomlc, !
barbarous. and Is futile, in that !
does not create Justice TO what sourc
must nations turn for the settlement
OF their disputesl In 1929. the Hagu
Tribunal was established ~ decid
differences between nations without tn
their resorting to the sword. IL IL
court OF representatives from al
nations. which agrees to decide AS i'm
narffalIv as nossible ALI ouqstiOns an n