Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-09-13
Officers Urge Americans to
Strive to End the Euro
pean War. :.
CAUSE OF CONFLICT
CLEARLY SET FORTH
Prophecy an End to Such Strife
by Removing Possibility Of .
Similar Recurrence.

In a message issued to the American
people, Senator Theodore Z. Burton,
president, and Arthur d. Call, director
of the American Peace Society. call
upon ''peace-loving people the country
over to unite in prayer and supplication,
and to continue their efforts until world
peace is restored ......
Such efforts exerted by tho people OF
a great nation whose neutrality and
good faith Is undoubted cannot but
have a salutary effect" says the appeal,
which reviews the causes of the war.
It blames the conflict upon the enor-
nous ornaments OF European nations.
compulsory military service exacted
from the people. the Unsuitable ambi-
on" of certain rulers Ito increase their
personal power and 'intolerable secret
alliances" between nations. The message
follows:
"The frightful consequences of the
present European conflict are likely 70
be beyond the widest conjecture.
Never in the history of the world have
such large numbers OF men and ouch
In mortal combat; never have such
deadly machines of warfare been looeed
in the destruction OF men and OF prop
erty. Many thousands of lives are be-
ing sacrificed daily and will continue
to be sacrificed until this terrible CON-
f1ict is stopped.
War Cause Plain.
THE causes of the war are not hard
to understand nor difficult to explain.
The maintenance Of enormous military
and naval ornaments by the nations
Of Europe, costing no less than $1,000
100000 annually, and a compulsory
military service. have inevitably stimu-
lat nd I'll I vi hna H.
LEGGED that this vast expenditure was
for defense: that it was for tine main
tenance of peace. but the present war
Is an irrefutable answer to this ar1u-
ment. Men unarmed are not liable to
commit murder: nations unarmed do
not engage in war.
again, certain sovereigns have had
an Unsuitable ambition to increase their
personal power and to extend the ter
ritorial limits of their country, regard
less of the cost in men or money. Then
too there have been the tntolerab.e
secret alliances founded upon An out
grown conception of effective state
craft. Added to these causes are racial
existed Tor centuries, and trade r15a!-
res and jealousies. which have been con.
stantly growing more acute.
The bI dens and miseries OF tho war
will fall not SO much upon the sove-
reigns of the nations engaged in IL -
upon the millions Of men who are
fighting in the ranks. upon the widows
and orphans in the homes which are
tons yet unborn. The wheels Of In
dustry are still. commerce Is paralyzed.
thousands Of lives which can never
be restored are being sacrificed, and
civilization is turned back q hundred
years.
Need Of Prayers.
I'm the midst OF this distressing
calamity the peace-lovtng people az
America have no small responsibility.
The President of the United States has
just asked that the 4th day Of octobss
be spent in prayer and supplication for; .
speedy termination Of this bloodshed and
woe. Ministers might well deliver SER
mons calling attention to the utter follies
and irreparable losses Of war. not only on
October T. but next Sunday and On
every possible occasion:
"a similar responsibility rests upon iec-
turers aand upon the press. The various
peace societies should, with renewed
yigor, bend their energies toward Great
ing a universal sentiment for interna-
tional right reason. Such efforts. exert
ed by a people of a great nation whose
neutrality and good faith are undoubtea'
cannot TAIL to have salNary effect
s'The time must inevitably come when
the peoples of the world will demand
that the controversies between nations
shall be settled by some form OF judicial
procedure similar to that now used In
the settlement of controversies De-
tween individuals.
"The opportunity Of the American
people seems at hand. The workers
for justice between nations may well
be Mortified, but they need not feel DIS
couraged The cumulative disasters
following in the wake Of armies, the
futility Of military theories. the sense
lessness of 1t all. are 80 apparent thas
the constructive upbuilders Of civiliza-
ton may well believe that they are soon
to receive a new hearing before the bar
of humanity.
Strive for Peace.
LET us Of America. remembering all
that is best and noblest in our traditions.
do everything in our power to carry for
ward the banner of the new international
righteousness. We repeat. our response
bility and our opportunity are at hand.
therefore, we urge upon peace-ioving
people the country over the Importance OF
Immediately discussing among themselves
this terrible situation. and Of uniting In
nrayer and supplication today and to-
morrow, and of continuing their efforts on
each succeeding day until world peace 10
restored.
nor,,ra Conan vUnpYC uApn