Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1914-08-21

!
All nations in our own day-Britain
France, Spain, Italy, Russia, japan
Germany-have made their appeal to
the sword, and by its glittering blade
have sworn, each in turn, vengeance
against some neighbor nation. As with
one voice, Christian and pagan, civil
lied and savage, they all took up the
slogan of the sword. I'm Peace pre-
pare for War. They have made good
that word. And what has come of it
all? Not peace, but a sword. No peace
: is left unspoiled or unthreatened to any
people in any land today. Europe goes
out day after day with its armed mil
lions to slit it's own veins and to
pour poison into its gaping wound.
Every continent offers up its reeki1g
sacrifice to the merciless sword of
War. Every ocean yawns for the price
of Admiralty. And all the while the
law runs, absolute with the emphasis
of Jesus, memorable as the sentence of
Fate: They that take the sword shall
perish by the sword"
A fortnight ago Prussian militarism
and the hereditary respot of Germany
took the sword. This war will have
been in vain if before its end Divine
Right" monarchy and military despot-
ism in the German Empire do not per-
ish together. And not in Germany
alone. Austrian autocracy and Aus
trian integriay may be doomed al
ready. But victory for the Allies will
be no victory either for the Allies or
for the world if the despot power Of
the Car and his bureaucrats does not
follow the dethroned despotism of
Kaiser Wilhelm and his ally in the
Dual Empire. The longest end of the
road to self-governing democracy is
before Russia. But by that way only
lies peace for the world. And Japan,
too, must know that there can be no
exploitation of China, no military ag-
gression in the Orient or on the Pa.
cifc.
This is Britain's business-this re-
adjustment of international relations
and this destruction of the burden and
the menace of militarism, The bust
ness of Britain and of all the British
nations; of France, too, who is eager
for it; and when the time comes it
will be the business of the United
States as well. If the great American
Republic can preserve ner own neu-
trality thror sn this confusion of rights
and of du'les she will not be neutral
when the world-problem, which will
remain when the war is over, comes
to be settled. There can be for Amer
lea no mastership on the continents
and no mistresship of the seas any
more than for Germany or France or
Russia or Japan or Britain When
democracy destroys despots it will
have no work for masters. When the
defence of freedom and justice be-
comes the joint obligation of all ma
tons Britain will no longer need to
carry the crushing load of naval su-
premacy.
AS the inheritor and custodian in
America of Britains idea of freedom
and self-government, Canada sends in
to this war against despotism and au-
tocracy in Europe the flower of her
youth, backed up by the strength CT
her resources and the solemn con-
victicn of her united public opinion.
This Canada does for the sake not of
war and of wars glory, but of peace
for the world. That war may be end
ed, its power destroyed, its sword
broken, Canadians dare to fight, 10
sacrifice, to die.
When the conversation turned to
the size of some peoples appetites,