The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1914-05-28

pied bodies. The South paid the
greatest price for the war, not only
did she give up her sons to slaughter
and surrender her wealth to prose-
cute the war, but she also had to en-
dure her country being invaded and
devasted, her homes burned and her
fields pillaged. At the close Of the
war suffrage was taken from all con-
federate soldiers. The negro who
had been enfranchised held the po-
litical power What those proud
southern people endured at the hands
of their former slaves forms one of
the darkest chapters of American his
tory.
Let us consider another side of the
question. ! believe that l am giving
perfectly fair definition of war
when I say "That lit is an armed con-
fict between nations for the purpose
of settling some dispute. I ask you
then what is the effect of using war
as a means of promoting justice be-
tween nations. Under such system,
Might Makes Right Therefore, all
the miseries of war contribute to no
end and help to establish no right.
But as Sumner has said: War not
only supercedes the judgment but
delivers the results over to superior
ity of force or chance
1t is hard to break away from
firmly established tradition. The
world has fostered the mistaken idea
that battleships are cheaper than bat
ties. England adopts two power
naval standard that she may be a
peacemaker. The United States, Ger
many, France, and in fact all the
leading countries of the world would
promote peace by maintaining large
armies and navies. Every rumor of
war is seized as a preteXt for pur-
chasing more armament. We have
spent $1,660,O0O,O00 on our navy
alone during the last fifteen years.
When we realize that these eXpendi-
lures are in themselves enough to
liquidate our entire national debt,
and then have $500, 100000 left, we
get some idea of the immense sums
that are being expended in the sense
less mania for arms. This money is
wasted as a means for promoting
peace. Those battleships that We
bought with that money are not doves
of peace but implements of war. We
have not promoted worldwide peace
with those expenditures, but have
merely increased our capacity for de-
stroying other nations.
One of the essential features of the
peace movement is the disarmament
of nations. For as long as any ma
ton retains its arms no nation will
dare to disarm.
Many of the causes of former wars
have disappeared; no man can arise
up as Napoleon did and make war
for peronal ACKNOWLEDGMENT and pow
err If any ruler or leader were to
try such a conquest again and did not
meet barrier in the attitude of his
own country he would most certainly
find one in the attitude of the rest
of the world The religious wars end
ed with the peace of Westphalia in
1913. War for conquests have prac-
tically disappeared for lack OF terri
tory for which to fight over. Wars
made for political liberty have almost
ended. People wishing freer govern
ment now gain their end by the
forces of public opinion, just as the
House of Lords few years ago were
forced to give up the right of abso-
lutte Veto About the only reason
for the continuance Of militarism is
a belief in its necessity.
1t is not possible to substitute ar
bitrat:on and investigation for war
and arms To show the usefulness of
arbitration l will mention some of
the things that have been accomplish
ed by it during the last hundred
years.
At the close of the War of 1912,
clause was added to the treaty of
Client that neither the United States
nor Great Britain should maintain
a fleet on the Great Lakes. AS a re-
suit we do not have to maintain
fleet there today, and you may travel
the entire length of our northern
border without seeing fertilization
or even mounted gun. Compare
this state of peace with the armed
the border line between herself and
France by garrisoning thousands of
troops at Metz and Strassburg, and
France in turn protects her interests
by garrisoning troops at Nancy and
all along the Moselle.
The incidence which l have just
related beautifully illustrates the
of disarmament and
peace For hundred years we have
lived peacably beside our northern
During that time spirit
of friendship has sprung up between
the two nations. We have not only
promoted peace and friendship, but
we have also saved the expense of
preparing for war which would
amount to vast sum if we may
Judge by the expenditures of Europ-
can nations. BY disarmament we have
avoided building fleets and fortifica-
tons which would, under usual con-
ditions, have been dangerous incen-
tives to war.
A few years ago Chill and Argen-
tina were about to go to war over
disputed boundary line Both ma
tons were making great preparations
for war-a bloody crisis seemed
near at hand. Through the Office of
Bishop of Benavente the two nations
were Influenced to submit the dis
pute to arbitration. The question
was successfully settled and hor-
rible war averted. In commemoration
of the deed a statue to the Prince of
Peace has been built on the boun-