The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1916-01-08
Mr.. Cochran spoke as follows !:

Mr.. Cochran spoke as follows:
Mr.. Chairman, Ladies and Gentle
men:
Listening to the very stirring and
impressive words with which these
proceedings were opened, could not
help feeling that this meeting, even
though it produce no other results,
has already indicated itself by the
extraordinary numbers embracing
every element of your civic life)
which it has brought together for a
common purpose-the loftiest that hui
man beings could cherish. For here,
as you, sir, have well said, we find
all the moral forces of this great COM
munity (kept apart hitherto by diff
ferences of creed or race) uniting in
a single movement to end the deadly
war which for more than a year has
been devastating the fairest countries
Of Europe, and which threatens all
civilized nations with injuries that
are Unreasonable.
This is meeting of Americans
without qualification or condition of
any kind-of Americans who value
their citizenship above all things
not alone for the high privileges it
bestows, but in even larger degree for
the sacred duties it enjoins. We are
here-Catholic and Protestant-Jew
and Christian-not abating in any de-
gree the fervor of our religious con-
victions, but remembering only that
we are all Americans-to consider
conditions which vitality affect the
whole fabric Of civilization, from the
standpoint not merely Of America
first, but of America only.
A plea for peace before an Ameri-
can audience is no longer mere ex-
preston of sympathy for nations
scourged by calamities from which we
believe ourselves to be exempt.
At the first outbreak of this dread
full war, we fondly believed that it's
ravages could be confined to the coun-
tries then engaged in it, and that it
would not endure beyond a few
months. But already it has lasted Six
teen months. It's theatre has been
continuously widening. During its
progress other nations have been
drawn into its vortex. The end of it
no man can foresee. The devastation
it has actually wrought, however.
makes it absolutely clear that if this
conflict be prolonged until the bel
ligerent nations on one side or the
other shall have been exhausted, then
the prosperity of all nations will be
ruined, and the very existence of the
race itself imperilled.
Conceive for moment it's actual
ravages. Millions of human beings
have already lost their lives. 1t has
been stated in the English House of
Lords by one of it's most conspicuous
members (who was but recently it's
presiding otiicer-and his statement
has never been contradictory that the
number manned and rendered help
less for life in all the different bel
ligerent countries reaches the stu
pendous figure of fifteen millions. The
value Of property actually destroyed
by contending armies, together with
the amount of money already expend-
ed by the different belligerent gov
ernments in conducting this war
amount to over twenty billions of dol
lars, sum greater than the combined
national debts of all civilized coun-
tries before the war broke out.
The awful effect of these losses on
the unfortunate countries which are
the theatres Of this war, no words at
our command can describe, or even
suggest. Nor is it necessary that
should attempt to describe them. So
far as they can be measured from a
distance l am sure every one here
realizes them fully and deplores them
deeply. For the men who have fallen
in battle your prayers have been free
ly offered, that they be afforded eter.
nal rest in the Bosom of their God
For the larger number who have been
wounded, MANNED, impoverished and
expatriated you have generously con-
tributed money that their distress
might be relieved in some degree.
Tonight in the time at my disposal
shall confine myself to a single as
pect of these disasters which, so far
as I know, has not yet been discussed,
and that is the very serious conse-
quences they portend to all civilized
nations of the earth under the pc.
culiar conditions, social and economic,
which have arisen during the last cen
fury.
" The most conspicuous feature of
that period has been an enormous
growth in population throughout the
world. This growth has centered en-
tirely in cities. In rural districts the
tendency of population has been
downward rather than upward.
III, Now these great urban communi-
ties, in the very nature of things, live
literally from hand to mouth. No
great city can produce the food on