The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-02-16

|
improvements. to expenditures which
are not only unnecessary, but a men,
ace to the friendly relations which
now exist between them? There is
no excuse for the present outburst of
war spirit-it is not only without ex-
cuse, but contains infinite possibili-
ties for harm.
Second, there never has been a time
in SO years when we were in less
danger than now. No nation has any
thought of waging war against us and
our preparedness is increasing rela-
lively more rapidly than ever before.
If the warning nations keep on kill
ing each other as they are killing
each other now. burning up property
as they are burning it up now. and
mortgaging the future as they are
mortgaging it now, they will not have
! left enough able-bodied men, enough
i money, or enough credit to threaten
a nation like this No; there is no ex-
cuse for the attempt which is now be-
. ing made to lash the country into a
/ fright over possible wars. Let us do
! what we can to stop the war in Eu-
rope; humanity, as we'll as our own
security, demands 1t. But IL we can
not stop the war there-if thedogs of
war must fight-we should at least
keep the hydrophobia out of this
country while the war lasts.
! And now let us consider the way
out or the road to permanent peace.
And before taking up the real way
out let us for moment look at some
of the ways that do not lead out.
Some talk of humiliation and argue
that the war must go on until one
side completely effaces THE other.
Annihiuation is a big word and the
, humiliation of nation a very diff
! cult task Long before they are in
sight of humiliation they will be so
sick of bloodshed that they will stop.
, There are already signs of sickness
now. They have been striking in the
coal mines on one side and in the
gun factories on thee Their. On one
side they have been protestant against
threatened CONSUMPTION and on the
other against the doctrine of con-
quest. No; they will not carry one
war to the point of humiliation, and
If they did it would be a crime against
civilization. If they do not know each
other, we know them all. for their
children have come among us and
have helped to make this country
what it is. We know that these bel
ligerent nations have reached their
present positions through struggles
that have lasted for centuries and
that each one has priceless contri-
button to make to the future of the
world. God might have made all the
iioWVio Vi OHC COlOi anu Will d Slu6lo
fragrance, but the world would not
have been as attractive had He done
so. And so God might have made all
the nations with one history and
single language, but believe that the
world Is better for their rivalries and
their competitions; they together con-
stitute one Respondent political bou-
uuet.
And | agree with the North Caro-
lima congressman in another matter.
He suggests that it would insure de-
liberation on the part of the voters
if the vote was taken with the un-
derstanding that those who voted for
war would enlist first, and that those
who voted against war would con-
stitute great reserve army, which
would not be called into service I'M
til after all those who voted for war
had had chance to show what they
could do. like the idea, and I
venture to add another suggestion
I am a journalist. among other
things; whenever anyone asks me
what I am, my answer is a journal
list. | am proud Of the profession,
though not of all the members of it.
If we have war, l shall insist in the
name of the journalists of the coun-
try that the first battle line shall
be made up of lingo editors, that
they may have the glory of dying
before anyone else is hurt.
These 80 treaties WILL in my judg-
mnt, so far toward preserving peace,
and | believe that the principle
ought to be applied to all nations
If the plan is good enough to offer
20 all nations-and the offer has new.
er been withdrawn; if the plan is
good enough to be entered into with
nations representing 1900, 900, 900
Of people; If the plan is good enough
TO be endorsed in principle by Ger
many, Austria, and Belgium-coun-
tries with which treaties of this kind
have not yet been negotiated-it is
good enough to be used with any
country before we go to war with
that country
But l will go a step further; even
if we use the treaty plan, and it fails