The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1915-02-06

r1ilitarist because he wants armies
and navies, but because he wants his
country to have things which the
claims OF justice do not uphold, and
which can only be gained by force Of
arms.
Force-superior force-the ability
to meet and master any opponent to
| whom We are unwilling to accord full
| justice, is the only logical refuge when
We once adopt patriotism that asks
for something better than. a square
DEAL =.
In this same article about the Mon
roe Doctrine. Mr.. Roosevelt says:
I'm this country there is not the
slightest danger Of an over-develop-
ment Of warlike spirit. and there
never has been such a danger. :.
Preparation for war Is the surest
guarantee or peace.
Popular sentiment is just when it
selects as popular heroes the men who
have led In the struggle against NAL
ice domestic or foreign levy. No tri-
umph of peace is quite so great as tho
supreme triumphs of war.
There are higher things in this life
than the soft and easy enjoyment Of
material comfort. It Is through strife
or the readiness for strife, that a ma
ton must win greatness"
We have here, as in the writings Of
Bernhardi, strong tendency to be-
lfeve that war Is not a necessary evil
so much as q desirable course of ma
tional training, which counterbalances
the soft and easy enjoyment of mater
ial comfort and results in honor and
recognition. Colonel Roosevelt and
General Won Bernhard are both vic
of each of them there are apparently
presented two alternatives; On the
one hand, a nation without war, sunk
in materialism, and on.the other hand,
a nation trained hardened and en-
nobled. by war. -. There are. higher
things" says Mr.. Roosevelt, than the
soft and easy. enjoyment Of material
comfort. 1t is through strife, or, the
readiness for strife, that a. " nation
must win greatness" "God will see to
it," quotes Bernhard, that: war al
ways recurs as drastic medicine for.
the human race" -.
I The falseness Of such a position is
evident. Neither In this or any other
country are the majority Of the people
sunk in the ''soft and easy ruling
class and the bourgeoisie are perhaps
to some extent softened by conditions
OF luxury and the lack Of keen strug-
gle: but tho great mass Of the citizens
OF all countries do not lack struggle
In their lives. And it is because Mr..
Roosevelt and General Won Bernhard
see lift In terms Of the ruling, class
or OF the bourgeoisie. rather. than in
terms Of the majority Of the people,
that they believe the war element Is
a necessary and potent alternative,
which civilization can i'll afford to dis,
-pense with. AS a matter of actual
fact, there Is no example, either in
present or ancient history, OF the
thing which the militarists fear-the
sapping of the strength of the people
themselves through luxury. What
country can be mentioned where the
average man exists In such luxury
and with such lack OF struggle as
to make him soft and helpless? Does
Me- Roosevelt believe that this Is the
case In the United States today. -:
Peace Not War.
AS a. matter of fact; the proof that
modern life is not lacking in struggle
sufficient to develop fighting qualities
Is so abundant and obvious that it
hardly: needs comment It is only nee
essary to cite the case Of the people
Of Belgium In order to set at rest the
theory that unWarlikeness *degener-
ates nations morale. Neither milit-
ary life, nor the maintenancexo Of that
war spirit which the militaristswvalue
|so much. makes modern soldiers sgfffz
Client. It is rather the steadtast seour:-
age and endurance whichst1e1 average
man has gained in the-%competitiye
struggle Of existence which ii, ssssissffxss
modern nations their wonderful fight
ling. power :5 The = assertion that
through lacK $ofz:: war, III; war spfrit'
this element: Of STRUGGLE will disapp-
pear In the.United States sor' sSsernia;rty
or any other co,lntr !. 81 ii aterxess,
Of nollyco ddles viii be tiie result Els
Eso thoroughly controYerted s.hy facts
as to%b be almost ain orfhys Of sconstd-:
| Grafton. = What IL - necessary t0r tie,
human race is peace, not war; And:
peaee,-cannot be assured by strife or
the, Psychic states IT, Peace.
will only exist when the cause, of war