Denver labor bulletin., 1916-01-08
Militarisrn and
Human Progress
Nation Stands Face to Face
With Danger of a Rush
Into a Reactionary Spirit
(By ]. H. Dillard.)


1t is true that there have been wars
which were waged in behalf of human
progress and accomplished the results for
which they were waged. But this is not
militarism. Such wars have never arisen
out of militarism and have been singu-
larry free from what we call today prep
aration. The success OF such wars has
depended upon the enthusiasm and self
sacrifice of the people.
Militarism infuses into a people the
spirit OF war, which is also the spirit of
drill, OF centralized authority, of subservi-
ent docility. The wars waged for free
dom from oppression have arisen from
no such spirit The American Revolu-
ton and our Civil war, for example, were
preceded by no spirit OF militarism. The
American people have had wars, but
have not been warlike people. We
have not yet been appreciably affected
by the war spirit We have no thought
of other things.
To-day our nation stands face to face
with determined effort to rush the
country into the reactionary spirit OF
militaTism. Let us not be blind to the
situation. We are in extreme danger,
not OF being conquered by foreign
army, but of being conquered by a for
eign spirit. 1t is urgent that everyone
who sees this danger should speak out
in opposition and urge his neighbor to
do likewise.
| Increased taxation and an awful waste
of money are bad enough fruits of mill
tarism, but they are not the worst The
worst effect of the military spirit Is. its
| inevitable destruction of the democratic
spirit. The two cannot grow together.
Now there may be a moderate military
and naval equipment. such as this coun-
try supported for years, which is not eN-
tensive enough to effect very essentially
the tone of the nation, but the measures
now proposed even by the strict prep
aratioufsts are such as will change our
whole attitude. and will influence the
minds af men away from the thoughts
which Washington called republican
liberty
Probably what is most to be dreaded
will b. the influence on the minds OF
the young. See already the movement
toward miitarism among the Boy Scouts.
See ths proposals that are being made
for military drill in the public schools.
IL seems true that most OF our educators
are opposed to this plan. God grant
that they may continue 50. SuPern-
tendent Schaeffer OF Pennsylvania
speaking before the Department OF Su-
perinte ndenee OF the National Education
Association, said: Military drill seeks
to develop unquestioning obedience, Sd
that the soldier will move forward in
the face of danger and even certain
death. but it does not develop obedienes
to s-,nscience. to a sense OF right, and Il
the divine imperative of duty. An
other speaker. Louis p Lochner, ad'
dressing the International Congress OF
the National Education Association
said: ANYONE with any Imagination
whatever can foresee what would hap
pen il the most cherished shrine OF hb'
erty and democracy, the American
schoolhouse. were to become infested b!
the military ideal The world, already
sorely shaken in its faith IN the peace
ideal, would see its last ray OF hop
disappearing.
The conflict between miltarism and
freedom is on. Each of US will eventu
allv have to take one side or the other
Eventually the line Will be drawn, JUS
a. it has always been drawn, whenever
= a nal conflict of ideals occurs, betweei
those who believe in human progress, II
human freedom, in democracy, and thos'
who believe in the principles Of reaet'o'
and benevolent feudalism-