The Marietta journal and courier. (Marietta, Ga.) 1909-1918, 1915-09-03
WASHINGTON LETTER.
Washington City,
August Goth, 1915

wizard, famous for his common sense
as well as his genius imbued with
patriotism issues a timely state
in which he beceeches the American
people to keep "out of war"
The hectic flush declares the elec-
tril wizard, which immense war or
der5 have given business conditions
are lending ephemeral flush to busl-
ness conditions that are not real.
Underneath the present business
outlook l can see prosperity of the
most propitious sort fer this nation.
Only one thing can prevent it-over
doing it. We must not lose our
heads" says Mr. Edison, "as has
been the case in other periods. I'm
der the present abnormal prospects
we must conserve our resources.
The great inventor thinks that the
real prosperity period will come at
the close of the next year when the
armies of Europe have laid down
their arms and returned to more
peaceful pursuits. "The United
States, said Mr. Edison, should be
slow to go to war over Germanies
submarine outrage, we are all agreed
that they are outrages, but they are
the acts of nation that is mad
Germany has done many things dur
ing this war which she would not
condone in normal times. 1t would
take whole lot from man | know
is fighting mad" to get me to
fight. 1t is to be regretted" con
tinued Mr.. Edison, that some Amer
leans are constantly adding to the
worried and work of our President
by embarlling on belligerent vessels.
They have no right to place us in
position that may get us into trouble.
My advice to Americans is to stay
at home, or sail on vessels flying the
American flag"
1t does look like 10 me like patrio-
tic Americans would do their best
to keep their country out of that for
eign embroglio, it is most assuredly
requesting very little of Americans
to ask that they stay at home dur
ing the remainder of this war and
thereby lessen our liability to the
unpleasantness of foreign complica-
lions. 1t is appalling to contemplate
the United States entering this
wholesale slaughtering and moving
down of human life.
There are twenty million soldiers
engaged in this unprecedented and
unparalleled war now raging in Eu-
rope; our quota, if we should be fool
lsh enough to enter it, would be "a
bout five million soldiers. More than
two million have already beeen kill
ed. What would be our toll if we
were to take part? Over five mill
ion have been wounded. What
would be our share if we became a
participant? The warning nations
are spending four hundred million
dollars per week, more than twenty
billions per year. What would be
our expenditures? Before we decide
to go in let us count the cost, let
some of the advocates of war give
us an estimate as to what it would
mean in blood, manhood and money
in the event we cast our lot with the
belligerents. Then let us ask our
selves dispassionately, what is to be
gained by war? Protection of Amer
lean rights? Not so, that can be Sc
cured without loss of life, money or
honor, and it can be secured without
arousing hatred which would exist
for at least century. What would
we lose by entering this war? Men,
and how many, no one can compute,
and the money it would cost us. no
one knows how much. We would
lose our position as leader of the neu-
trail nations, and we would also lose
the opportunity to mediate when the
time for meditation arrives, and we
would lose our priceless privilege of
using our good offices as friends to
assist in laying the granite founda-
ton OF substantial peace Soberly
speaking there is no excuse for war
upon our part-our grievances, we
have them against both Sides do not
Justify war. Our treaties furnish am
pie machinery for adjusting and
maintaining honorable peace Selfish
interests are doing more to befoggle