The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1913-06-30


possible. not only in Paris, in France,
but throughout the modern world"
So long as arguments of this kind
prevail the red flag of war will tri-
umph over the white flag of peace.
The trouble is, the followers of the
Prince Of Peace" are untrue to their
professions of faith: they breathe the
spirit Of war more than the spirit of
peace-they cry peace but act war.
Wars are the outcome of greed and
selfishness--the desire of one nation
to despoil neighboring nations: to ex-
tend its own dominion, power and en-
pire.
War stands as the antithesis. of ev-
erything that Christ stood for, yet is
upheld. popularized and made possi-
bic by his followers.
When Christian people become i'm
bued With the Quaker spirit and shall
fight the war spirit with the same zeal
as they fight Satan. wars will soon
become unpopular and will cease.
If today ali the Christian churches
would unite and with one accord ear
nestly and devoutly preach peace and
refuse TO tolerate or justify war on
any deceptive plan whatever, the
white emblem of peace would soon
cover the earth as the waters cover
the seas.
The way to get peace is to go for
| it and to go for it as if you meant it.
A man generally gets what he goes
/ searching for-as it is with individu-
/ ais. SO it is with nations.
That time has not yet arrived, nor
will 1t ever arrive, when one shall go
into his garden and gather figs from
thistles.
Every tree, plant and flower; every.
insect, fish and fowl, are as true to
their kind today as when the world
was first created.
Whether the Mosaic or Darwinian
theory be true. whether the world was
created OF. evolved, the law holds good
that like begets like
i A nation does not erect altars, dis
tribute anthems, songs and proclama-
tions of peace, If it is in search of
war; It does not establish military
schools, mobilize armies, manufacture
4 gunpowder and the missiles and the
I armaments of war, if it wants to tread
in the paths of peace.
II education were compulsory and
universal, if only peace were preach
ed from the pulpfts; if wars were not
4 pictured with false and deceptive
Il glamour; if the exploits of the gol
der were not oxtolled and glorified;
if an inhibition were placed upon the
manufacture OF. gunpewder and guns,
dreadnaughts and explosives, War and
the spirit OF war would end.
Mr. David Starr Jordan, president
of the Leland Stanford University. is
not the only thinker who attributes
the cause of the high cost of living
to our military expenditures. Lloyd
George, the British chancellor of the
exchequer, and statesmen all over the
world, are conscious OF the same fact
and when occasion offers, make the
same statements.
Exclusive of pensions and the in
terest on war debts, 1t Is estimated
that the expenditures of all nations
for military establishments are grow.
ing at a rate to make the ANNUAL an
preparations by 1920 reach the enor-
nous sum of five billions, five hundred
millions of dol1ars-a sum bigger thar
the average mind can gasp.
: II these expenditures were devoted
to productive enterprises and usefu
employments-th that would ht
helpful to the people, what immense
benefits would follow.
( They would soon surface the globe
with good roads and erect school hous
es so thick that ignorance would hav:
no hiding place i'll any part OF tht
earth With every man and woman
: engaged in some productive .occupa
ton the world would have an ahund
anee. and plenty would prevail in ev
cry home.
But We cannot expect the peae
crop to be large so long as we pictur
war in glittering robes and deceptiv
coiors. and forever extoll the man il
uniform.
We gather what we SOW, Like ht
= gets like. If we teach arms. we mus
reap battles.
Is it not a treyesty on our religio
when at this very moment ever
Christian nation is an armed encaml
ment- bristling with guns and bays
nets, and ready at a moment to hay
the whole world trembling with tn
tread of armies?
- Some may be ready to pronoune
Mr.. William ]. Bryan's course durin
the past sixteen years a wonderful
sinuous one;- but all we think. wi
agree that through all the shiftin
scenes of his political career he ha
stood out resolutely and firmly fC
universal peace. and it occurs to |
that his proposal to the powers. NEE
= ing with the endorsement of Presidel
Fyvilson, can but merit the approval
all right-thinking. patriotic, God-fea
ing, Christian people.
4