Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1914-09-16

'I try to make the children of other countries so interesting that our chil. dren will like them too we'll ever to want to kill them when they grow up. We have a little peace prayer-they have even come to like to recite it-a prayer and an oath. But I'll not bother you with it. Other women have taken up the idea. have found a girl who is going to start a class on your side in South La Tir, and l came here to meet some women who want to in- augurate the movement in your capi- tal."
 .Ill have to see about that!" he re- joined, half-banteringly, half-threatep- ingly.
 There is something else to come, even more irritating" she said, less intently and smiling. "So please be prepared to hold your temper"
 T shall not beat my fist on the table defending war as you did defending peace!" he retaliated with significant enjoyment.
 buI ouC uSCu HIS ICtOIl lOI du Opcu> ing.
 "Oh, I'd rather you would do that than jest! It's human. It's going to war because one is angry. You would go to war as matter of cold reason"
 If otherwise, I should lose." he re- piled.
 Exactly. You make it easy for me to approach my point. I want to pre- vent you from losing!" she announced cheerfully yet very seriously.
 Yes? Proceed l brace myself against an explosion of indignation!"
 Tt Is the duty of teacher of peace to use all her influence with the people she knows" she went on. "So l am going to ask you not to let your coun. try ever go to war against mine while you are chief of staff"
 Mine against yours?" he equivo- cated. Why, you live almost within gunshot of the line! Your people have as much Gray as Brown blood in their veins. Your country! My country! Isn't that patriotism?"
 Patriotism, but not martial patriot ism," she corrected him. My thought is to stop war for both countries as war, regardless of sides. Promise me that you will not permit it!'
 T not permit it!" He smiled with the kindly patronage of a great man who sees a charming woman founder ing in an attempt at logic. Tt is for the premier to say. l merely make the machine ready. The government says the word that makes it move. l able to stop war! Come, come!"
 But you can-yes, you can with word!" she declared positively.
 How" he asked, amazed. Howl" he repeated blandly.
 Was she teasing him? he wondered. What new resources of confusion had ten years and tour around the world developed in her? Was it possible that the whole idea of the teachers of peace was an invention tO make converse tion at his expense? If so, she carried it off with a sincerity that suggested other depths yet unsounded.
 Very easily" she answered. You can tell the premier that you cannot win. Tell him that you will break your army to pieces against the Browns Notifications!
 He gasped. Then an inner voice prompted him that the cue was comedy
 Excellent fooling-excellent! he said with a laugh. Tell the premier that l should lose when 1 have five million men to their three million! What harlequin chief of staff should be! Excellent fooling! You al- most had mel"
 Again he laughed, though in the fashion of one who had hardly unbent his spine, while he was wishing for the old days when he might take tea with her one or two afternoons a week It would be fine tonic after his isola- tion at the apex of the pyramid sur veying the deference of the lower levels. Then he saw that her eyes, shimmering with wonder, grew dull and her lips parted in rigid, pale line as if she were hurt
 You think am joking?" she asked.
 Why, yes!"
 But I am not! No. no, not about such ghastly subject as war to- day!" She was leaning toward him, hands on knee and eyes burning like coals without a spark 'I'-she paused as she had before she broke out with the first prophecy-"I will quote part of our childrens oath: I will not be a coward. It is a coward who strikes first. A brave man even after he re- .ceiyes a blow tries to reason with his assailant, and does not strike back un. til he receives second blow. I shall not let burglar drive me from my house. If an enemy tries to take my land l shall appeal to his sense of jus tice and reason with him, but if he then persists l shall fight for my home. If am victorious shall not try to take his land but to make the most of my own. I shall never cross a frontier to kill my fellowmen.'
 Very impressive she made the oath Her deliberate recital of it had the quality which justifies every word