The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1914-10-29
MiIitarism.
From the indianapolis News.

From the Indianapolis News.
me United States Is getting a good deal
called authorities at home, and some OF
1T from the same sort of authorities
apr 9 e / Old phrases-such as peace
There is already a movement on foot for
a huge army and navy. An attempt has
been made even to revive some Of the old
scares. The amiable London Spectator.
speaking "a Word to America" thinks
that. in view of the possibility of a Ger
mar victory, which it admits is remote.
o "a n Snoulu irrhleuiately create an army of
zoo,goO men, greatly increase our navy
and stock up on rifles.
That We should have an adequate army
for defense-all agree. Nor is there any
dispute as to the need of a sufficient navy.
And ordinary prudence requires that we
nave rifles enough to arm an army much
have in time of peace. But the chief les
son to be learned from the European
struggle Is that preparations for war-at
abroad-is the best possible way of insur-
ing, war. II anything else Is needed to
make war certain it is that military spirit
that lies back of most of the suggestions
that are now being made.
The foremost duty of the people of this
favored. country is to oppose and light
sue of the New York Times is this:
The indomitable forces of the human
mind have driven ignorance back into the
dark corners of the earth. In this time Of
dreadful carnage we feel that the light
has failed in Europe. She has stumbled
back into the age of darkness. But not
even there do men feel, as the painted
savages felt for thousands of years. that
lighting is their chief JOY, the proper bust
ness Of q man. We have made an I'M
mense advance. The light can not fail
here II we keep our lamp trimmed and
burning, We have no Treitschkes preach
ing the devils doctrine Of world conquest,
no Won Bernhard is extolling war as "the
greatest factor in the furtherance Of Gull
ture and power"
We are not SO sure of that. Blu at any
rate, public opinion here is, In the main.
sound on this subject. Peace must be orr
IDEAL, not peace imposed by force, but
peace as the result of reason. We are
protected by thousands of miles of ocean,
our very isolation being worth q dozen
army corps. We want no territory, no
cerned with the balance of power-that old
and fruitful mother of wars. "Conduct
and character says the Times. must.
after all, be our first line of defense, our
srsat ulwark We must continue to
take. ss we always have taken. the moral
rather than the, military view of public
questions. To accept advice from Europe.
to import. preach and hold European the
cries as to national duty. would be to
make a frightful mistake We have seen
them applied-have seen the terrible con-
sequences. Our role must be that of
teacher rather than pupil. We have a
message to deliver, a gospel to preach. an
iueai 70 Uphold The Bryan peace treaties.
thousand soldiers, not only because they
make war less likely, but also because or
their moral inf~uence-whIch will grow
stronger as the years go by. And It is.
rise and fall of states. Even & we think
ofiioFce as the final abiter, we should do
well to remember that the creatast forcs
III the worlds on idea.