The Hattiesburg news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1908-1917, 1916-06-21
SAYS PEACE BATTLE
-. ~...,o -, -,
CRY RIVALS PLAY
MOVIE COMING TO THE LOMO
SOON is AN ARGUMENT
AGAINST WAR.
NV "Zit," New York Journai.)


Last night at the Vitagraph Thea
ire ! Stuart Blackton's Battle Cry of
Peace" was given its initial perform
ance. It is the greatest piece OF work
vet accomplished by any film record,
and it will 90 down as a piece of epic
work closely rivalling the famous
Uncle Toms Cabin"
The situations are not 50 very dill
ferent In one we have the days of
slavery-slavery to power. Today we
have slavery just as fagrantly shown
in the helplessness with which we lie
in the way of any chance eneAy that
may happen to attack us.
Uncle Tom and his brother slaves
suffered the whip and taunt Of the
slave driver. The black woman OF
that time was made to feel the indlg-
mites and insults that any white man
wished to infiict upon her.
Uncle Toms case was inst one out
of thousands, but what of the situa
ton today? We are slaves in the grip
of our unpreparedness We mink we
are humane when we listen to the
peace propaganda that is constantly
preached by many of our cortempora-
ries but are we human? The time
may come, and that soon. when our
wish TO obtain peace at any price Will
leave us at the mercy Of lar more
cruel master than Simon Lcgree of
old. who dashed the poo. quiveiing
flesh of Uncle Tom.
r. Our wives and our children Will DE
delivered into the hands OF the enemy
and we who sat back in our chairs
and refused to contemplate war, are
we any better than slave drivers?
With our own hands we bind the fet-
tiers of cruelty on the trail hands Of
the women and children Of America
who in time of war always suffer the
cruelest penalty.
1.-THE Battle Cry of Peace" is spur
toward preparedness. Not in order
to declare war. but in order to pre-
vent it. Many have read tne book,
"Defenseless America" which has for
it's plot the laying bare of every weak
ness of the country we love TO vandal
hands, who at the slightest chance
would tear it to pieces.
Through the generalities of war
shown in all their blatant crudity, We
are subtly led up to a specific in
stance; We are taken into our own
homes where the head of the family
shouts peace and the children are con
tent to have it so. And then comes
war. It isn't so difficult az it sounds.
You would be surprised if YOU knew
with what rapidity our scanty de
lenses could be swept away. Gun
navy. hopeless,y inadequate, is worse
still. separated so that TIE neeI may
he more easily demolished.
New York Swept Away.
New York. the center of power,
would be swept away before the first
shrappel. We haven't sufficient arms
TO meet an enemy on equal terms.
Our country has depressed to quite an
extent from the days of Washington
and Lincoln. We count on our wealth
and our number to safeguard us
against anything. These things do
very well i'm times of peace, but i'll
times of war what will a whole army
avail against handful of men who
are equipped to wage modern war
fare?
"The Battle Cry of Peace" then. IS
a frank setting forth of problem
that ought to be faced by every man
and every woman of today. 1t pleads
for better soldiers. 1t shows the folly
of laying down arms. 1t takes up the
words of many brave men of today
as we'll as yesterday. Men are not
afraid to speak what is in their hearts
Gov &h, xr,oIforo of tho country