Ellsworth American., 1914-11-11
TIME FOR PEACE.
..;,,ed from Christian Eadeaeor World
lheP'' by request.

oy ft9ups%l
u ia never too early for the right kind
:, reace. The day Of prayer for peace was
ssnreeated 4 by many because they thought
), ,,,smsture. ain the interest OF perma.
nspt peace" they say, sthe warning ma
,,ons must fight it out until one side or
,hs other has won decisive victory
ppt would that be in the interest OF a
,,e,manent peace3 Would it not rather
,srnetuate the causes OF war? 1t Is freely
aid that IL Germany conquers, all Europe
will be an armed camp until the allies can
alsy the German spectre. Why is 1t not
eouslly true that, X the allies conquer,
Germany will increase its srmaments and
nsp for a day Of revenge, thus forcing
Furope to remain in readiness for another
explosionY
II is constantly said, and with much
reason, that war settles nothing. This Is
one OF the strongest and truest arguments
against war. Why is the present war,
however prolonged, expected to settle
anything?
What originates In wrong methods Is
not to be remedied by continuing those
methods, but by reforming them.
War, that stupendous curse OF the
human race, springs from wrong method
Of settling disputes, the method OF reason
and law. War will never be eliminated,
but rather msgnified, by reliance upon
force as means of settlement.
Probably half q million men have
already fallen. Every day the war Is pro-
longed carries unuttera BILE woe into thous-
snds OF homes. II nothing 10 gained from
II for the permanent advancement OF
humanity, every instinct OF mercy would
urge an immediate peace.
The loss OF material resources is enor-
nous, the cost is almost beyond
computation, the destruction OF the
works of genius and the memorials
Of the past is irreparable, and all this
is increasing at a fearful rate More
over, the passions Of men are becoming
hotter, and hatreds are springing up that
are increasingly difficult to silsy. Why
are we to believe that an awful multiplica-
tion of all this ruin will conduce to the
lasting peace OF the worid7 War is in-
sanity, and q prolongation Of insanity
renders return to sanity ever more un-
likely.
We had peace after Germany beat
France, and took from her Alsace and
Lorraine. That war was thought to a
finish" our fathers thought. How far 1t
was from being fought to finish the
present enormously magnitied struggle
shows. 1t was peace, but only the falla-
cious peace Of temporary exhaustion. That
is the only kind of peace that will follow
the present war, II 1t is "iought to a fin
ish".
On the other hand, IL peace is brought
about now, when neither side has won a
decisive victory, then neither side will
feel dishonored by the event and neither
side will be exalted. A basis may then be
laid for a rational system of European
government, which will be an agreement
among equals, and not rule imposed by
superiors upon conquered interiors.
The only peace that can be permanent
will rest upon the establishment OF a
parliament OF the nations for making in
ternational laws; a judiciary OF the ma
tional disputes; and an executive and po
lice OF the nations, for enforcing the laws
OF the international parliament and the
decisions Of the international court. ALI
other armies and navies must then he dis
banded.
The establishment OF this rational sys-
tenn must rest upon the reason and con-
science OF men, not upon cannon and
powder. The sooner reason and con-
science are brought to bear upon the
problem, and irrational methods are
thrust aside, the nesrer will be the happy
eonsummation.
providence has thrown upon the United
states the opportunity and the duty for
these proposals. Our people can urge
upon our government to press upon the
warning nations its offers of mediation
already made, and to renew them not
vaguely but as distinct disclaimers Of the |
irrational and brutal methods OF the past, |
and proposals of q permanent interna-
tonai legislature, Judiciary, and execu- |
i've. Thus alone can we bring our ma |
tional affairs up to the level Of our in |
oividnal affairs, and extend to the great,
pervasive interests of the world the law, |
Justice, and reason that have come to hold |
sway, in large measure, over all lesser in