The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1916-10-21
The Right to Revolt
BY DR.. FRANK CRANE
Copyright. 1913, by Frank CraneA
Is there to be a revolt?

Is there 20 be a revolt?
A gentleman from Manhattan writes
me: IL take exception to your opinion
that men should refuse TO go to war.
Society is founded on obedience, obedi-
ence 10 the actual authority and not a
visionary one BY the grace of God one
man is chosen as authority over many
men. What constitutes the grace of God
has been variously defined, but all def
nitionS resolve into The Law. And it
is obedience TO law that keeps society
from chaos. 1t is the law of humanity
TO kill, whether as armies or as indi-
vidual executioners"
This is one side of the case, and there
is some truth in it.
Without law men would undoubtedly
fall into unrestrained violence. the strong
would pillage the weak, and there would
he no redress.
Without law there can be no liberty.
Tor law is necessary to maintain the
rights Of the feeble, and 90 curb the ex-
esses OF powerful passions
But there is another side to the ques-
ton.
Ii without law there is no order, so
without revolt there is no progress
- is but human. Il is established
ustom. And custom may be wrong. 1t
,an harden into injustice and oppression.
II is for this reason We have repre-
sentative governments and parlaments,
since in order 10 maintain order, and at
he same time prevent revolt, there must
" a way to change laws when they be-
'ome ,nequitab!e.
There come times when the law re-
,uireS man 20 Go what his conscience.
jorbids.
II that instance ne must weigh the
natter carefully He has two things to
onSider-first. his own rights. and sec
nd, the Importance Of maintaining or
der.
II he thinks his own rights arc not
no seriously interfered with. he should
ocket his grievance and obey the law.
If he concludes tina, it is more neces-
AIRY 10 himself to the welfare Of his fell
5ws. and to his duty 20 God, to refuse
o submit to the law, he should revolt.
It is to be settled by his own judgment
nd conscience Perhaps revolt may
mean his Imprisonment, or even death.
ct it is conceivable that under certain
/ circumstances he should even risk these.
One can sometimes do more good by
is death than by his life
Jesus was executed, SO was Socrates
md Savonaroa
1t was because ofthe Christian mar
yrs cheerfuIy went 70 death in the
arena of wild beasts or at the stake that
hey conquered az last, and became the
ecd Of the Church
Cromwell was q revolutionist and
Washington Few doubt that the South
american states are better OIL a. repub-
ics than they would have been had they
not reyolted against Spain.
Men now gladly give their lives for
heir country because they feel the obj
cations Of patriotism
Not many men are willing 20 die rath-
r. than engage in war, because the SEN
timent Of Humanity is yet vague and
weak. and We do not realize how enor-
nous a crime against the race war is.
Anarchy ceased when men learned to
acrifce self and the family for the sake
# the larger unit, the State.
And war, which is international anar-
-hy. will cease only when men have come
TO the conviction that the interests Of
Humanity are above those Of any one
nation, even their own.
We have not reached that point yet
We need a new crop Of martyrs to shock
US into a larger conscience which in turn
will produce new and better human re-
ations and laws