The true Democrat. [volume] (Bayou Sara [La.]) 1892-1928, 1915-05-22
GIVE YOUR NAME FOR PEACE.

believe that there is an overwhelming
sentiment, not only in America, but
among the masses in Europe in favor
| of peace.
Much good can be accomplished by
crystallizing this sentiment into a gil
gantic organization. There is encour-
tagement in the knowledge that the
masses do not want war and in the,
feeling that humanity has been out
ragged The most horrible tragedy in
the worlds history is being enacted
across the water and before God these
men are our brothers. A tremendous
responsibility rests upon us all just at
this moment as a nation that believes
in international peace. The President
should be heartily supported by unit
| ed people in his overtures for peace.
| A concerted effort should be made
through all possible public agencies,
the press and public included, to arouse
mighty voice of protest throughout
the land that shall be heard through
out the world. This unholy war should
cease!
Most Americans regard with mex
pressible horror the dreadful outburst
of rage and bloodshed that threatens
to overwhelm Europe and leave deep
scars upon all nations. Prayers are
arising constantly to the Throne of
Grace that merciful Heavenly Father
may stay the bloody hand of the Dark
Avenger and that he may speedily
overru1e for good the whole heart-rend-
ling affair. Though often prophesied
and spoken of with dire foreboding,
nevertheless when it came, it seemed
like a thunderbolt out of clear sky.
| 1t is difficult to believe that in this
enlightened" twentieth century, after
so many peace conferences and treaties
that the worst conflict of history should
break out among Christian people. Is
the hope of world peace after all but a
glittering bubble that bursts upon the
slightest provocation? One blessing
likely to come from this gigantic trag-
edy will be the utter disgust of civilized
nations upon their realization of the
bloodshed and total waste involved in
the greatest of all wars, and possibly
la keen sense of humiliation that such
la thing could happen in this enlight-
|ened age. Then when the people start
to pay the bills, and have to reckon
with the destruction of so many useful
lives, the sense of wrong and injustice
should be so great as to give rise to
the most extraordinary peace move.
ment that the world has ever SEEN
That in itself would be great achieve
ment; but the pity of it is that the
nations affected had to tolerate whole
sale murder before discovering the
awful folly of it all.
The one great hope and ambition of
the International Peace Society is that
it will form a nucleus for this peace
movement in this country and that it
will rapidly spread to the nations in
volved. There is peculiar appropriate
ness in such a world appeal. Our lines
go out into all the world, commercially
and racially; our citizenship is made
up of people from every nation under
the sun; we can claim connection by
blood and lineage with every Father
land; our neighbors are of every tongue
and custom; here is the true melting
pot" of the world and we cannot go to
war with any people without arousing
anarchy in our midst. An opportunity
comes to us now in this extremity that
comes to no other nation on earth to
make our influence potential for last
ing peace.
The frightful consequences of this
European conflict are likely to be. be-
You'd the widest conjecture. Never
before in the history of the world have
such large numbers of men and such
quantities of armament been engaged
in mortal combat Never before have
deadly machines Of warfare been loosed
in the destruction of man and property.
Many thousands of lives are being
sacrificed daily and will continue to be
until this terrible conflict is stopped.
Orders from the war Offices are that,
SO far as possible, no news whatever
of this war shall be printed except the
official communicates. Doubtless these
Generals have their reasons. They
realize that If the world knew what
cruel slaughter is going on at the front
there would be an effectual protest
against the continuance of the war. !
Doubtless, too, recruiting might be in
terfered with.
The burdens and miseries of the war
will fall not so much upon the sover-
eigns of the nations engaged in it as
upon the millions of men who ore fight |
ing in the ranks, upon the widows and |