The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1914-09-26
War Declaration
By Popular Vote.

In Pesrson's Magazine for October.
Allan L. Benson has an article on the
European war that is both ennghten-
ing and entertaining.
Mr.. Benson goes on to show that,
while the kings and var lords of E5l-
rope may have wanted war, the people
Themselves, did NOT While the kings
may know what the war Is about and
what is expected TO be accomplished,
the people do not know. While the
men who are responsible for the war
can themselves keep out of danger
ofs slaughter the people who were
not responsible must sacrifice their
lives for II.
Speaking Of the power to declare
war this writer exclainns--"rhat any
individual would presume 70 send mil
lions of men 70 war is nonstrcsls"
and he then goes on TO declare that.
The power 10 5eclare war should not
be given even 10 Congress. Congress
might wisely be entrusted to engage
in defensive war. but offensive war
should be engaged Ia only after di-
II is worth while TO hold national
election to determine 2. contest over
the tariff question. 1t is infinitely more
worth while to hold a national cleo
ton to determine whether hundreds OF
thousands and perhaps millions should
go to war The right 10 vote on war is
as much more important than the right
to vote on the tariff as life itself ts
more important than money. Nor need
the question of time be urged against
the suggestion of direct appeal to the
people Any proposed offensive war
may well wait upon the peoples action.
In these days Of telegraphs. an election
could be held on two weeks notice.
The ballot should bear two questions,
Are you in favor of declaring war
against (naming the nation) Yes
Are you in favor of declaring war
against (naming the same ration No,
Each voter should be required TO
sign his name after the word Yes
or No and in counting the ballots
the election Officials should be required
TO keep the affirmative and negative
votes separate.
War. should not be declared except
by affirmative vote Of a me iority of
the enrolled voters, ard IL war should
% declared, those who voted for war
should be sent to the front in the
order that they appeared at the bal ,
lot box.
Not a man who voted against war |
should be compelled to serve as a SOL !
der until every man who voted for |
war had been sent to tho front.
That would mean that no man who |
voted against war would ever be com
PEELED 10 90 TO war. We have in this |
country approximately is. 1000. 900 en- |
rolled voters. together with about A. |
ooo.o 600 others who might be enrolled |
men more than twenty one years of |
sCe who now seldom enroll because the |
business % 5co-rhasinE does not en-
able them to remain long enough in !
one place to gain 4 legal residence
II no war could take place without !
a I lea st 5000. 900 affirma tive votes, |
each representing a man who. in case
OF conflict pust, if called upon, join I
the army. there is no chance what
ever that any Of those opposed to war
would ever have to fight. No nation
ever -asse mbled an army of 5000. 900
men.
This idea may he A novel one, but
1t looks like a mighty good one. Mr..
Benson. however, does not stop there
He goes further and says.
We should even take further meas
ures to enable the fire-eaters TO eat
the fire. We should compel each writ
or who urges aggressive war to sign
his articles. and we should compel the
publisher OF such articles to send
marked copies of his publication to
the War Department.
We should compel each public
speaker and each mem Der of Congress
who urges aggressive war to file no
tice Of such fact with the War De-
partment.
IN case ire-eating gentlemen should
so inflame the people that a ma jority
OF them should vote for war. the writ
Crs. speakers and Congress men who
urged war should be sent to the front
ahead of everybody else and COMPEL
ed to lead all baYonet charges storm
"u forts and, in all cases be nearest
;hc eneruy's guns
They should not 5e permitted 20 oe
Ulcers. whatever their heroiSm or
'.Iutary ability. Officers Of the higher
ont usually sit back few miles at
''e end of a telegraph wire where
'rcre is no particular danger. Cen
men who urge offensive war. by
e or pen. should be kept in the
and given the fullest emporium
glut their thirst for sore.
'-ie we agree that A popular vote
tt &c required for q DECLARE
,.,- Of war. We object to this idea Of
forc.nE The fire eating writer's into the
fray Such people are not much fight
ers anyway and think what would
happen to Mr.. Hearst If ne had to