Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1916-04-20

had put great wars aside Minor
differences were henceforth TO be
adjusted by diplomacy, and major
differences were to yield to The
Hague tribunal and other agen-
cies of arbitration.
Socialists thought, and the he
lief seemed not improbable, that
the vast growth of socialism in
Europe and its spread of the Cos
pei of International brotherhood
had very largely abolished the
spirit of warning nationalism.
''Brothcrs will no longer fire upon
brothers.. was their contention.
"Gcrman socialists will refuse, if
put to he test. to shoot down
their brothers in France and Eng
land. and trcnch and British So
man brothers i'm battle" Euro
pean militarism, it was confident
ly thought by many, was on the
point of crumbling to collapse.
Gompers and Furuseth Yield.
But the stern lessons of the
past year have shown how futile
We're these altruistic expecta-
lions. Socialists of Germany.
France, Great Britain and the
other warning countries are
| fighting With grim determination
| - ,,Yh.1id ibni.,. ,,,1-ap,,r,a,4c ond
crush their enemies i'm battle. So
cialiSm is seen TO have been only
| the thinnest veneer on the deep
and controlling spirit of nation
| allsm.
Noted labor leaders and think
ers like Andrew Furuseth, presi-
1dent of the International Sea
man union, and Samuel Com
pcrS, president OF the American
Federation of Labor, recognizing
the stern truths taught by the
lessons of the European war, have
taken a stand for national pre-
1parcdncss. Apparently Mr.. Furu-
lscll and Mr.. Gompers have strong
fluctuations toward the Swiss sys-
tenn of universal military train
ling
MIR. lTurllscth told the San
| Francisco convention that he
looked forward to the time when
The boy at school would be trained
| and drilled and Taught to take
care of himself, which, in his
mind. would give assurance that
this country would not become a
land of 'long-haired men and
short haired women. >"
Double Influence for Peace.
! PRESIDENT (iOmpers said that it
had not been intended that the
| question OF preparedness should
come up at this time-that the
| plan had been to consider it more
)especially. But NOW that we are
ON the subject" said Mr.. Com
pers. II would not have the mill
ilary forces controlled by Sc
lect few want them, in the
4 hands OF the democracy-in the
control Of the nation in the hands
of lilc people and therein lies its
great merit. ii is doubly pow
)crful influences for peace.
First. by the restraint it puts
4 upon aggressive and empire seek
ling nations TO leave severely alone
a nation that is known to have
|millions of its young men trained
for national defense.
| Second. by The powerful surb
ii puts on the defending nation
| itself to hold its people from en-
4 gaging lightly in war. With uni
vcrsal service the cost of war is
drought home to cvcrylircside that
| has enrolled in the reserves Il
son. a grandson or Il nephew.
My boy may be called" says
the mother. My son may have
10 march to tho front, thinks the
father. THE youth of my family
land my friends will have to re-
\
the representative in congress.
Would Not Rush Into War.
With that thought in the minds
of Millions oil parents no group of
iingoeS could rush this country
lightly INTO war. The personal
equation would be felt every
Where-otlt on the farms, in the
lumber and mining camps, in
shop and factory and counting
4 house.
Instead Of fostering war, as
some thoughtless people imagine,
The SWISS plan OF preparedness
fosters and all but insures endur-.
Il ing peace. II makes the nation
thus defended TERRIBLE to it's en-
NlonS foes. and il makes was a
Creadful possibility in the homes
IL would restrain others from at.
lacking us. and it would restrain
us from attacking others.
IT. is effective. lust and benc-
fetal 1t builds up the individual
through military instruction and
discipline and it makes the ma
lion more efficient and more pro-
ducfivc. II is education of the
highest order and the cost of it.
; all would be but an ounce in price