The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1915-05-29

but Against Sudden Aggression.
Never In the twenty-one years of Its
existence has the Lake Mohonk con
ference on international arbitration
heard such calls to arms as signalized
its gathering this year The 300 dele
gates from all parts OF the country
were practically all peace men. They
were told to "face facts" and the APP
peal stirred them.
DIR. John Grier Hibben, President
Wilson's successor as president OF
Princeton university, fired the first
shell. He advocated "a wise prepared
ness, not for, but against war"
This is not a question of mere AGA
demic interest which we are discuss
ing said President Hibben. I'VE as
a nation are looking into a future that
is dark ana mysterious. In the high
tension of international hate and inter-
national suspicion the most ~insignif-
cant accident may chance to precipi-
tate for us a national catastrophe.
And I'm the great emergency, III II
should come, what will we say? Peacei
Peace at any price?
Don't Trade Honor For Peace.
"But let us not forget that there are
some things which cannot buy peace.
Ia we sacrifice them IN order TO Sc
cure peace the peace thus sought comes
before us the veriest torment of a liv-
ing held. We dare not trade honor for
peace; we dare not betray duty In or
der hat We may bargain for peace;
we dare not indulge ourselves In the
enjoyment of the blessings of peace
while we turn deaf ears TO the cry of
distress or to the m Of a right
eous cause"
Later came Lindley NJ. Garrison, sec
rotary for war, who saw no immediate
prospect of val giving place to either
peaceful or forceful arbitration, and
called on his hearers to look facts
fearlessly In the face and act accord
ingly.'
I'VE will be despised among the IA
sicns OF the earth" he said, "and our
righteousness will not save us from
the aggressions of the unrighteous II
we remain weak and fabby. We must
be ready to make war In order to keep
the blessings OF peace.
"Self preservation Is the first law of
a nation. A nation to deserve preser-
walton must be sane, just, righteous,
self respecting and courageous.
"Since 1t only obtained those virtues
by conflict of one sort or another, Ii
can only retain them and thus insure
its own preservation by being prenar-
ed in every proper way to defend them
from the inevitable assaults which will
be made against them.
~"Peace-yes; peace based upon right
eousness.
Militarism Not 6ogy Here.
"Militarism Is used as a term of re-
proach to divert proper consideration
of what must be considered. Militia
rism In the sense OF having the military
force interfere in the slightest with the
conduct OF III government by u civil
authorities is not conceivable In this
country.
I'VE are surely not so deluded as to
believe that we can reach by intuition
what others a only acquire by train
ing and experience.
I'VE, as a nation, are exceptionally
set apart only In one respect-namely,
the freedom of our people under our
institutions to develop and expand and
make the most of themselves without
letters or restrictions. The institutions
are the very Ark of the Covenant, and
IL we are worthy to possess them We
must show that we cherish them and
Will protect and defend them.
Our lack of aggressive intention and
our righteous intentions minimize the
sources and causes of war, but we our
selves have frequently been at war.
Our isolation has not, as a fact, as
sured our freedom from conflict, and
other nations relatively as isolated have
been involved In war, and no sound
reason can be adduced which would
justify a sane man In concluding that
isolation alone spells safety. Further
more, our isolation Is geographical
only"
Would Be Murder, Says Wood.
Then spoke Major General Leonard
Wood, pressing home the same point.
1--WE soldiers and sailors are merely
your trained servants" said General
Wood. You create wars; we try to
eliminate them. Nine out of ten wars
are based on trade. The trouble with
most conferences of this kind is that
they do not look conditions In the face.
We must not delude ourselves that our
geographical remoteness has made us
safe.
This Is n OF the great causes of
armament-this and the greater eff
cheney Of the implements of war. When
we have ceased to fight for u hon.
est convictions we shall cease to be
worthy to exist as q nation.
1T Is murder for you to send your
boys to wal unframed when 1t is pos
sible to train them. All we soldiers
and sailors want is that you give Us q
reasonable degree of preparation, SC
that when your boys come to us to
light the sacrifice may be as light az