The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-10-23
DR.. AKED DENOUNCES
BLIND PATRIOTISM,
CALLS IT IMMORAL
'Our Country Right or Wrong
He Says, Also Base and
Disastrous.
Urges 1. s. TO END
WAR By INFLUENCE

NEw HAVEN. Conn. Oct. 22.-The
Rev. Dr. Charles +. Aked. formerly pas
tor Of the Fifth Avenue Baptist Church.
New York. in an address tonight on
IAN International Conscience before
the National Council Of Congregational
Churches. denounced as base and disas-
trous, immoral through and through the
sentiment contained In the toast Our
Country Right or Wrong"
He urges that an international con-
science backed by a league of the neu-
trail nations. with the United States at
DEVILS work in two short months by
refusing all intercourse will every one
Of the warning nations.
Before the masses OF Europe can
shake from their limbs the chains Of
military despotism.' said DR.. Aked,
'they must first emancipate themselves
from the impalpable and monstrous
tyranny Of a superstition which mas
auerades as patriotism. We ourselves
in this and OF the free are not less
superstition's slaves. To this day We
drink the shameful toast: Our coun-
Try, in her intercourse with foreign ma
lions, may she be always in the right.
But our country. right or wrong such
a sentiment is base In its conception and
disastrous in it's results. 1t Is immoral
through and through.
1T means that a stretch Of country
Is OF greater to YOU thar
the eternal principles of right hat
equity. Justice and honor are merely
municipal and local ordinances that
truth is a thing OF the tent or tribe.
morality a matter OF a and mileage
and love a question Of latitude and long
itude. 1t make of God a term of %
raphy. We tolerate Il. We defend IL.
From this base conception OF our coun-
Try the transition is easy TO kaiser Or
king. president or chancellor or secre-
tary of state. There is no international
conscience TO condemn.
"A league of neutral nations IL pos
sible-not only ideally possible, but one
OF the probabilities OF the hour. This
league might demand arbitration. They
could compel 1.-THE United States lead
ing on-without striking a blow or she'd
ding one drop OF blood They could il
they had the grace n courage refuse
10 supply to Europe one dollar OF money.
q scrap OF food OF an ounce of muni-
tons Of war until fighting ceased. And
then the neutral nations could see to it
that as far as human wisdom enables
mortals to accomplish II the right thing.
the just thing. and that alone, should he
done through the judgment of It's own
international court. And which is likely
70 give the world an approach OF justice
and a promise of permanence--the dicta-
ton OF terms by a conquerer to a bleed
ing and exhausted foe or the calm
celebration OF the wises, and noblest
men of the neutral nations OF the
world.
There is only one reason why YOU
men and women do not rise and forbid
the expectation of munitions Of war and
the supply Of money to the belligerent
Powers. You sympathies are with one
side in this conflict. You believe that
the balance OF crime Is greater on one
side than or the other. and YOU will be
no party TO action which might give
10 the side you hold more to blame an
advantage over the powers YOU wish to
see victorious. The United States could
insist that no injustice should in the
settlement he done by nation to nation.
In plain words you are afraid to refuse
supplies. one and munitions TO Great
Britain and the Allies lest Germany
should triumph and the spoliation OF
Belgium go unavenged."
DR.. Aked closed his address voicing
the hope that men will determine not 10
be made common food by diplomat or
king and that they will make a grim
resolve TO perfect an international
organization with a view to effecting this
determination when next the mad men
IN high places. official gentlemen. living
luxurious lives, mostly stupid. without
imagination or heart bid them kill and
no LtilaI - I