The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1913-01-05

Under the above title DR.. Philip
Van Ness Myers, of Cincinnati, adj
dressed a large audience at the Har-
nois theater a few evenings ago. His
hearers. for the most part college
professors and teachers in attend
ance upon the teachers. convention,
listened with attention and interest
and a%pplauded with evident apprecia.
ton and approval.
DR.. Myers treatment of his sub
ject was earnest and scholarly, as he
traced the history of war, in its eth-
ica1 aspects, from the earliest times
to the present day. His opinion of
war correspondents very closely to
that said to have been enunciated by
one of it's masters. General Sherman,
in three monosyllables. some years
ago, and he advanced the conclusion
that it is an anarchism. a crime
against civilization, and that in the
not far distant future, las history
counts time" 1t would be done away
with; hat the nation that should
make war in those millennial days
would be regarded in the same light
as we today o upon the man who
commits murder.
It is to be regretted that DR.. MY.
ers closed his addresses without ems
tightening his hearers as to just how
this exalted plane OF world morals Is
to be attained. There are some we'll
meaning but deluded peace enthusi.
asts who are trying to persuade OUT
school teachers all over the country
that the way to bring it about is to
disband all the armies in the world.
melt up all h cannon, consign all the
navies to the scrap heap. or sell the
ships for old iron and devote tho
proceeds to the building of school
houses, libraries. orphans homes, and
other educational and benevolent in-
stitutions. 1t is not known whether
DIR. Myers holds those views or not.
but in view of the fact that his re.
marks might easily be taken by some
as an Endorsement OF the ideas men>
toned, and that our teachers have
SO large and ~far-reaching an influ>
ence upon the opinions that our
coming citizens. now under their
tuteage, are to have on this sub
ject, Of vital Importance to the wei
fare Of oar country, II seems appro.
pirate at this time to consider brief-
ly the question from the standpoint
of those who do not share such views
at the present time. In forming the
opinions that they are to hand on to
their pupils, it Is incumbent upon all
conscientious teachers to prove all
things, to examine matters from all
sides, and to exhaust all sources OF
information, so that they may he
prepared to give out in their in,
struction. not the p%rejudiced views Of
any particular group of zealots. but
the truth as far as they are able tc
ascertain it by study, investigation
and reflection. No one is competent
to instruct another as to any ques,
ton until he or she has looked at Il
from all possible angles. Hence 1t !.
hoped that these lines, If not con,
vincing. may at all events reach The
eyes Of many of those who heard DR.
Myers, and cause some reflection.
The limitation or elimination o
ornaments and military preparation
would undoubtedly cut down the tire
mendous expenditures necessitated b.
the conditions existing today. So ais
would the disarmament of all on,
QCAASo 1oASCoS Jul AhC IN
our life saving service, our mail car
riers, II courts Of Justice, and al
our other agencies which, we ar
sometimes told, are n-~productive.'
, We should thus ave millions of dol
, lars on our national and municipa
budgets. But are dollars the onl
things worth while? Are there no
matters Of national honor. safety an
} welfare to be considered which W
must have at whatever cost? 1t |
toe automatic for discussion that tn
disbandment of the police is not tn
means by which we can most ef
fectively do ava with crime. 1t
equally true that disarming ourselve
a is not the best means of insurin
our national safety from foreign ae
erosion. The police force is not tn
l cause of the commission Of crime {
e of the existence of the criminal In
8 stinct in the malefactor; 1t exists
not for the purpose of encouragin
and fostering crime. but for the pre-
Z lection Of society against the Grim
inal. In like tanner, armies an
navies are not the instigators {
4 wars. Whatever may have been tt
case in the old days of mercenal
soldiers of fortune who made 1t F.,
business to go from one country
another and take part in their Sc,
eral quarrels as a means of livel
hood and without any interest as
the merits of the quarrel. or patriot
. concern rs to the outcome. In the
= days the battles of the countries a.
fought by the citizens thereof and Il
patriotic motives. The question
peace or war is no longer determine
y by the military or naval agencies
the country. The political admins
traitors of affairs are the arbitrato
of such matters, and the soldi
comes into action only at the behe
n of the constituted authorities plac,
'e over hin by the supreme law of h
land. Armies and nayies exist. n
for the purpose of forcing the natl.
lie into war. but for the protection
8 the nation when war m to !
d. door. --t
Wars. and strife in general, ram
e in scope and importance from Il
d nuarralS and ~ugg of infan