The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1915-02-06
or MILITARISM
>>~:* - IN AMERICAN POLITICS

While we have under consideration
the question Of armament and par
tioularly the Recommendations which
American militarists are now making.
let us trace the psychological source
| Of the militarist's desire to make the
United States a first-class war power.
We have recently seen in Germany
both the expression of this desire and
its results. General Frederick Won
Bernhard in his book, Germany and
the Next War;" says, . -
We can, fortunately, assert the i'm
possibility of these efforts after peace
ever attaining their ultimate object
in world brtstling with arms. whore
a healthy egotism still directs the
policy Of most countries. God will
see to it," says Treitschke, that war
always recurs as drastic medicine
for the human race"
EVERY means must be
! employed to oppose these visionary
| schemes. They must be publicly de-
nounced as what they really areas
an unhealthy and feeble Utopia, or
cloak for political Vaccinations. Our
people must learn to see that the
maintenance of peace never can or
! may be the goal of a policy
The appeal to arms is a sacred right
A Sacred Right?
! of the state, but 1t must keep this con-
| viction fresh in the national con-
| seriousness. The ineyitableness. the
| ideahsm, and the. blessing Of war, as
| an indispensable and stimulating law
of development, must be repeatedly
: emphasized"
Here is an eloquent appeal for war
on the ground that war is a national
necessity kind of medicine to
quicken and stimulate a nations de-
velopment. But :@BernhaMs appeal
for war is not only based on its al
legged necessity to national Develop
ment, but on a narrow and twisted
idea Of patriotism, which convinces
him that a nation must; consider it's
own good only, and be utterly obliv-
ious of all obligations to people of
other races. He says:: &C.
"Christian morality is based, 2 In
deed, on the law Of love Love God
above all things;~andzsthy neishbor as
myself This law can claim no sig
nificance for the relations Of one
country to another. @esince It's applica:-
,tion to politics :s;asoQld lead to con-
flict of duties. Christian
Snorality~ is pers1NaBsHnd sociaI, and IN
its nature cannof--bssno litical:. =; i.
Christ Himself ,said;s'1 am not come
to bring peace On ,yarth.s but esword.'
His teaching car: newer be adduoed as
an argument. against the universal
law Of strugglesas ~. -
Roosevelt Narrow. :"
Mr.. Roosevelt ill., writing Of the
Monroe Doctrfns THE abolition OF
which, by. the way, would do more
to guarantee peace than all the bat
;tleships we can. build Expresses, to O
certain degree, Bernhardfs belief in
the necessity Of war. His philosophy
is also that OF a sincere and intense,
2 but narrow; patriotism. To. him; as
to. Bernhardi, the so-called fighting
virtues are the cardinal virtues upon
which all sound .nationalism is built:
I and these: virtues are not TO be EN-.
ployed with any large regard for the
rights Of other countries. : After dig
cussing the necessity Of. the cultiva-
ton Of fighting virtues in America,
Colonel Roosevelt says:
My Country Right or Wrong.
| Every, decent ,Fnglishman is de.
voted to his country, first, last and
all the>time. An Englishman may or
may not dislike America. but he Ii
invariably for England and - against
America when any question arises be-
tween them; and I heartily respect
him for so being u
In other words, MI, Roosevelt Is in.
chned to take the Internationally per-
ilous position zthat Wesmust be, fol
America, rights,ors s7sssr On b. and not al
: Carl schurz is QUOTED as saying: 70,
America, rishtsroIs :sWrQns. to keep he,
right when: sheisr Il g1,t and make hei
right when she IS wrong, T. = :
OF course. the moment, any :, man
says that het:iss Invariably for his
country and !. againstt Any other ma.
, ton in any questloin,s hieh may arise
this man logisaAy Ebscemeess 4 mi1itar.
tst.. He has: For, having
| taken the posIftsHs ais sshe win make
his stand on Wis1 rs Ills patriotism
rather than ot.t6s 81 wrong 8.
! things, there isht hing b11t militarisrnr
left. For only ;suberior1o rce can pro.
tect a man a,ttb views, from
Fothers men, wttnaa tEhts he insists on
subordinating. toIhis. own: .-.,.... =.
The militarist is not pri1narily i
u 49," is