Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1914-09-02
JUST SUPPOSE.
BY DIR. Frank Crane

by Dr. FRANK crane.
Just suppose, for instance, Just on
ly suppose, that one Of the European
nations had been big enough, wise
enough, and brave enough to act the
gentleman and the Christian.
That is, suppose France, highly
intellectual and idealistic country, had
laid down its arms, abandoned its
Notifications, reduced it's navy to pol
ice proportions twenty years ago.
Suppose it had said to Germany.
"Our race feud is foolish and wicked.
It does neither of us any good. Real
ly we think a lot of you German peo-
pie, and are anxious to trade with
you, to compete with you in art and
literature, and cooperate with you
generally to our mutual profit. Load
ing ourselves down with guns not on
ly burdens us financially but creates
a condition where trivial misunder-
standings may easily cause war.
Hence we disarm. We will trust to
the justice and good sense OF the Ger
man people. We propose to be a
peaceful neighbor to you.'
Do you think that Germany then
would have dared to throw a million
warriors into an undefended territory
to pillage and kill?
| Germany nor any other nation could
possibly dare to brave the scorn of
the civilized world nor the outraged
sense of justice among her own peo-
pie by devastating a peaceful neighbo7
nation.
Disarmament would make any ma
ton impregnable.
And only by disarming can any ma
ton ever hope to rid itself of the
danger Of invasion.
The nation that will deliberately
become noncombatant will be the Sc
curest nation on the globe.
The nations do not disarm because
they are cowardly.
There are two kinds of cowardice-
physical and moral. The nations are
physically brave-that is they are will
ing to starve and die and to fight
which is the dog or cat level of cour
age.
But morally, or humanity, they ar
towards. They dare not trust eac1
other. They dare not appeal to thu
worlds sense of Justice only. The!
dare not be gentlemen and SETTLE
their differences by law.
!. They live on the brute plane. Ant
the result is HORRIBLE; it is infinite
waste and madness.
Doubtless no European nation ha
the courage to step up to the mark o
civilization and Christianity. Thei
brutal eyes are too bloodshot.
But we Americans ought to dare
We ought to stop war preparedness
: right now.
We ought to announce to the world
"Seeing how great a calamity ha
: come to Europe from the policy O
military preparedness, we hereby dc
clare our country open to any flee
or army that wants to come. And W.
hereby appeal to the public opinion
of the world and to the sense of jus
tice of mankind as our only defense
We do this without STIMULATING tina
any other nation do likewise; but W
sincerely invite you to join with u
in this policy, the only one that ca
unload from the backs of the peop1
the ever-growing load of war prepare
ton and relieve the people of the fea
of that unspeakable devastation whic]
comes with war;
Among the brute-nations Of eartl
can there not be found one mamma
ton?
But what would we do if British
or German fleet should sail into tn
disarmed port of New York? Welcom
them. Give them a banquet.
Rely upon the public sentiment O
England and Germany. Believe in tn
spiritual values and forces of mer
and not only in brute force.
HE that believeth shall not b
1 damned" -Minneota Mascot.