The Leavenworth echo. [volume] (Leavenworth, Wash.) 1904-current, 1916-05-05
Something for Voters to Think About

OVt1SuiHiS iW iveSiS W th'nn n0VS%
Every man who stops long enough
to think knows that the immediate fu-
ture holds portentious possibilities for
good and evil. The great European
war has created national and interna-
tional conditions and complications, the
final outcome Of which no man can at
this time foresee. The possibilities for
tremendous mischief, growing out OF
the war, are highly probable, and 1t is
these possibilities that the friends OF
preparedness have in mind when they
urge an increase in the army and navy
of this country. The question is too
deep. the possibilities too great for the
ordinary man to grasp. All the nations
are engaged in a death struggle. every
muscle tense with energy, the mind
wholly absorbed with unnatural, inhu-
man desire to STAY and beat the enemy.
All this must be followed BY reaction.
mental and physical. The reaction
will come when one or the other is
beaten, or decides to quit.
When mems minds are once more
turned to avocations of peace the blood
lust will die out and in its place will
come thoughts Of home, wife, children
and friends. Where is the wife, the
children and triends7 Where is the
home? The government has been
feeding and clothing US while We were
fighting. Who brought all this onf
Why was this awful thing done7 Who
is responsible for all our woe7 These
and a hundred other soul-racking and
mind wrecking thoughts will obtrude
themselves on the minds Of the men
turned suddenly loose on the world
without an occupation, without a home
and without funds. May they not turn
on those they hold responsible for their
troubles? Such things have been.
Some such thing happened in the
fourth and fifth century and civil gov
eminent was almost blotted out. For a
thousand years Europe was plunged in
darkness. Wars and fighting among
the nations Of Europe and Asia un-
doubtedly was responsible for this cal
amity. Is history about to repeat itself
Nobody knows and nobody can tell
what will happen after the war is over.
1t is quite within the range OF possible
ity that the greatest trouble will come
with the effort to settle down into the
old life after the war is over. Some
times it seems almost impossible Of be-
ing done orderly. You do not know, and
I do not know, what will happen, but the
deep student Of history has in mind
the trightful possibility that is bound
up in the womb Of the near future.
Think Of ten million men being sud
denly released from an occupation OF
sayagery followed for two or three years.
Can you scent any danger1
It is well for the world that at this
time a great nation, separated from the
fighting zone on both shores by an
ocean, is at peace-prosperous, happy
and contented following the pursuits
OF peace. But do not forget that in
some eventualities We will be subjected
to a mighty strain. We may be called
on to show our right to exist as ma
ton. Are we getting ready9 Are We
thinking about what may happen and
preparing to meet the worst9
1t was these things we had in mind
when we counseled peace and harmony
among the republican factions. In the
most happy event Of the outcome oil
the war we shall be called on to solve
questions that will affect the welfare
and prosperity Of the United States for
fifty years to come. In 1860 the re-
publican party stood for those things
that we now know were right. Under
its guidance the country made the
greatest progress. Knowing its duty
to the world at large it yet held that its
highest and first duty was safeguarding
the welfare and prosperity Of the people
of these states. From a united repub-