The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1915-11-16
Sail From This Wild War.
5Y Or. FRANK CRANE
Copyright, 1915. by Frank Crane)


to law
Progress in civilization is simply a con-
tinuous discovery of laws.
Advance in the arts, in science, in
commerce, in politics. is guaged by the
increase in our knowledge of the laws
that govern these things.
Law is the way Everything has it's
ways, plants and planets, mind and
matter, water and wind, God and the
clod
Humanity is at school, 1t is slowly find
ing out how to do things. At infinite,
costly expense, with vast waste and npin,
through failure, backslidings and strug-
gle, the race is laboriously entering into
skill.
Our efforts are as bungling as child's
piano exercises, AS the fumbing of the
prentice mechanic or of the beginner
in sculpture.
Once mans shattered arm was thrust
into boiling pitch TO stop the flow Of
blood and attendants held the writing
sufferer while the surgeon amputated
now by anesthetics the patient is put
to sleep and is insenSible as stone during
the operation. We have found out how;
we have discovered the law.
Undreamed of wonders have come to
pass. The living voice carries from
to town, the written message flashes
under the sea from continent to con-
tinent, cities blaze by night, horseless
trans hurry along the streets, all be-
cause we hit upon electricity'S ways.
All the miracles Of modern invention
are the result of learning the hidden
laws Of things.
These laws have always existed. We
didn't know them.
The mind and spirit have their eter-
nal laws. as we'll as matter.
There lie in mankind great laws that
govern human relations.
There is a way 60 distribute wealth
so that the latest and weakest worker
shall have his just share, so that the
strong and lucky shall not gobble up the
most. Economics is precisely as accu-
rate as chemistry Spiritual and social
relations have their formulae. Dimly
we grope toward them.
The golden age. the millennium, is
merely the time TO come when men shall
KNOW the human equations.
We are still experimenting in govern
ment.
This monstrous war is but the blunder-
ing world learning how to govern itself.
The Wall Street Journal states tho
process:
Formerly q mans war defenses and
preparedness were in his own household
or castle Thence they were transferred
TO the walls surrounding the community,
village or city. Later they were trans
ferred to the state, and when larger units
of civilization came in they were trans
ferred to the still larger unit of national
defense.
IF the world is to get any great les
son from this war, and is TO make there
from any progress in civilization and the
savings of civilization, there is only one
forward march, and that is neither in
preparedness nor unpreparedness. 1t III
in the transfer Of national defenses To
still larger units in world defense.
There is no more reason why one ma
ton should be allowed to go TO war to
settle difference with another nation
than that one state or city should be al
lowed to go TO war with another TO settle
a matter of civic or state pride or honor.
"The call from this wild war is for a
larger nationality and a world-protected
peace, not by international agreement
alone. but by international agreement
supported by the united armies and arm
aments Of the world.
Then less than one-tenth the forces
now at war could keep the peace of the
world.
'In this way, and this way only, can
the nations Of the world save themselves
from the burdens Of war and the burden
of preparedness, which is greater than
the burden Of war.
Reduce the armies and navies of the
world by 90 per cent and this war will
have been worth all its cost"