The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1915-11-12
No CONSUMPTION Fellowship
~ On. FRANK CRANE
Copyright. 1915. by Frank Crane)

There are many who believe in fight
ing for their country, going forth to kill
people of another country In case war Is
declared by their fatherland.
These people are conscientious, brave
and high minded. They are swayed by
patriotism, which is far nobler than sell
fishness or a slavish spirit.
They are talking pretty loud right now
in the United States They urge thorough
military preparedness, from drilling
every school boy to creating a mighty
battle fleet and large army.
There are others, however.
There are people just as conscientious,
brave. and high-souled who do not believe
in war. or in getting ready for it.
They will refuse under any circum-
stances to take up arms to slaughter
their fellow men. They deny the right
of the nation to demand this of them
These persons are as patriotic as the
first named class, only they are governed
by a passion that is above patriotism.
They feel that their first duty is to
humanity. When nation-sentiment con-
flicts with humanity-sentiment the latter
has the right of way.
Many of them are led to this convic-
ton by religion. They are Christians.
Followers of Christ, they find in Him no
sanction of the doctrine Of Righteousness
by force.
Others not religious, arrive at the
same conclusions by reason. They read
history and see that armies have de-
stroyed all states that fostered them.
They read the newspapers and per-
ceive that military preparedness is ruin
ing Germany, France, Russia, England,
Italy. Turkey, and the Balkan govern
ments. The outcome is an enormous
death toll of their fittest youth. destruc-
| ton of their property, the estoppel Of all
advance in science, in the arts and in
social conditions.
Just by getting ready for defense the
European states have plunged themselves
into a war of stupid unreasoning
hates, a war without an intelligent cause
and with no probable beneficial outcome.
People are asking themselves why,
when the world for 5000 years has tried
military force and found 1t only de-
structive-why it is not time to try
some other way.
| These people are not cranks, dreamers
or base -souled slaves They are those
who are trying to substitute higher
passion, humanity, for lower, patriot
ism.
They are the progressives, the adj
vance guard of human progress.
They are not confined to America.
There are plenty of them in Europe.
There is in England a mo Conscrip-
ton Fellowship" composed of large
body of Englishmen who are willing to
do anything for their country except to
kill. In recent manifesto they declare:
eve yield to no one in our admiration
of the self-sacrifce, the courage, and
the unflagging devotion of those OF our
fellow-countrymen who have felt it their
duty to take up arms. Nevertheless, we
cannot undertake the same form Of ser
vice: our conviction is solemn and unal-
terable. We gladly admit-we would
even extend-the right of the commun'
ity to impose duties upon it's members
for the common good, but we deny the
right of any government to make the
slaughter of our fellows a bounden
duty"
do not say these men are right But
I do say they are sincere, they ring true
and they are quite as ready to die for
humanity as others are to die for their
IDarticular country.