The weekly times-record. (Valley City, N.D.) 1912-1922, 1915-11-11

the first discussion on that program at
the annual meeting of the members of
the league in the courthouse this morn
ing. The subject was that of H. G.
Arnsdorf of the State Normal school
of Valley City, secretary of the North
Dakota branch of the American School
Peace League. Mention was made
that the work Of the league was emerg-
ing from the pioneer state, that thus
far the activity had been one to &C
quaint the great mass of teachers of
the state with the school peace league.
Special effort was made to bring
speakers on the subject of peace to
the state during the past year, to cir
cularize the 5,400 public school teach
ers, and to establish courses of inter-
national relations in the teacher
training schools of the state, such as
was offered at the Valley City normal
school during the past summer. The
cours was offered through the Car
negie Peace Foundation, which fur
nished the funds.
The program committees of the va
rious lecture course associations and
chautauQuas were urged and gave
space on their programs to the SUBJ
ject of Peace. At the Valley City
Chautauqua, for instance, 800 teach
ers and school children took part in
a large pageant given at the chau-
tauqua on peace day." directed by
Cora Mel Patten of Chicago.
State High School Inspector E. R.
Edwards, of Jamestown, followed with
discussion on the causes Of the
Present War;" Mr.. Edwards charac-
terized the present conflict as one be-
tween autocracy and democracy, and
said that it was the same old story of
wanting more territory. Then, said
the speaker, there have been what
might be termed literary causes Of the
war. BY that he meant, the emphasis
laid in the school on literature bear
ing on national wars, which impress
ed the young mind with the so-called
great wrong that their country had
suffered and which must be revenged.
Racial differences, very pronounced
in the European countries were also
given as causes for the war, as we'll
as a false notion Of christian prin.
ciples and civilization. It is for us
to teach Americanism to avoid some of
the conditions that prevail in Europe,
the speaker concluded.
That 200 universities as large as the
state university and agricultural col.
lege combined could be built in this
country with the money needed an
nually for our military purposes in
times of peace, was contention made
by Prof. w. M. Wemett, of the Val.
ley City State Normal school, presi-
dent of the North Dakota branch Of
the peace league, Mr.. Wemett has
made considerable study of the sub
ject of peace and war, and said fur
Their that the money required to fire
one Of the big guns once would be
sufficient to pay the salary of the
average North Dakota rural school
teacher for FIVE years.
A total of $4s7, 100000 was ex.
pended last year by this country for
military purposes. For this amount,
said the speaker, the nation promises
us to protect US from foreign invasion,
and then in footnote tells us that
our present navy is inadequate and
our army is inefficient. During the
last 100 years the American nation
has had but eight of its citizens kill
ed by a foreign nation except in the
Spanish-American war, which this ma.
ton declared itself. Yet we spend
the above sum for war and only 49,
100000 for the fight against the white
plague, which kills $4,000 of our citi-
Gems annually. ..
At the business session which fol-
lowed the above program the follow
ing officers of the league were elect
ed for the ensuing year:
President, w. M. Wemett, Valley
City: first vice president, Clyde Ira
Wis, Mayville; second vice president,
Miss Eula ]. Miller, Minot; secretary,
H. G. Arnsdorf, Valley City; treasurer,
Miss Laura B. Sanderson, LaMoure.
The new officers of the musical ed
ucation division, chosen at the meet
ing this morning, are:
President, Fannie c. Amidon, VAL
ley City; vice president, A. J. Steph-
ems, Fargo: secretary, Miss Cordelia
Hulburd, Grand Forks.
The musical education division
takes the place of the State Music
Teachers association of other states,