The Detroit times., 1915-06-03
Preachers, College Presi-
dents, and BrOmidiOns
~ Or. FRANK CRANE
Copyright. 1918, by Frank Crane)

The other day President flibben, OF
Princeton University, and Secretary OF
War Garrison. spoke ut the Mohonk con-
terence in favor Of providing adequate
armament for national defense.
Also the Rev. DR.. Mcleod held forth
at the Collegiate Church of 81. Nicholas
in New York upon the same theme, and
his observations were reported at some
length in the daily press.
We have with us, too, as n constant ex-
horter of this gospel, Mr. Roosevelt.
We have no quarrel with these gentle
men, other than their lack of vision. II
; right and proper that our army and
navy should he efficient If we have them
Il ALL Against the proposal that We
spend five hundred million dollars to bet
ter our military conditions few voices
would be raised
PROVIDED:
And here Is the rub.
PROVIDED: THAT 4 LIKE SUM BE
SPENT. AND LIKE EFFORTS BE
PUT FORTH To BRING ABOUT
SOME SORT OF LEAGUE OF PEACE
OR OTHER FORM OF WORLD UNITY
II GOVERNMENT. To STOP WAR.
To perfect our armed forces is To pre-
pare for temporary ana unexpected
emergency, which is well. But 10 pro-
aced 20 the organization of the nations
IS 10 strike at the very root OF war, and
20 30 that thing that shall render wars
impossible.
This ought We to have done and not
% have left the other undone.
To arm for defense is not enough. It
leaves Us IN the slough Of barbarSm and
International anarchy, where all the ma
lions now are wallowing.
To get together is 20 pull the world out
# that slime and mud of hate and hor-
rOr.
The attempts Of Or Mcleod and also
the Rev. Or StreS 20 dlScredlt the
forts OF the peace advocates reveals
heir lack Of perception OF the spirit OF
IesuS
Christianity il rcconcilable not one
Whit with war or the preparation for It,
Not 10 perceive this is 10 make the his
loric error Of the Church.
II is because Christians have deserted
humanity for nationalism that the
hurch has collapsed. Il stands shorn
f all influence in Europe today.
If every Christian had simply refused
10 go out and Kill people OF other nations.
n the name and after the example OF
Him who went TO Calvary rather than
defend Himself, there could have been
no war.
4 church with n cross in one hand and
German sword or an English pistol or
a Yankee bowie knife in the other is
mongrel thing that cannot expect TO
arouse the idealsm of men.
This war exists only because of the
unfath of Christians and the treachery
If Socialists. If THESE TWO CLASS
/ rs HAD LIVED Up TO THEIR
ICREFDS. KINGS WOULD HAVE HAD
I 40 FODDER FOR THEIR CANNON.
Let us increase our army and navy if
Ne must, but let us still more vigorously
work for world federation.
/ And above all let Us have no more Of
/ he ptifu attempts Of Christian minis
/ ers 10 reconcile the teachings Of Jesus
o the butcher method Of settling inter-
national differences. The programme OF
war is irrational, wrong, and born of hell
and ignorance.
/ ct US hear a few preachers advocate
world government. They are supposed
TO have spiritual vision. Shall We hear
. from them nothing but the old drivel OF
defense" which every nation proifers as
+ it's excuse for militarism?
What Americans want TO know is not
/ how 20 get into war. but how to keep
| out Of il. What travesty upon our sys-
/ tern Of learning when the president OF
/ Princeton can give us but the old banali-
ties Of mitarism Not he and not one
college president know Of, has had any
CONSTRUCTIVE word TO say!