Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1916-01-08
Pacific Peoples Must Hold PrepOnderance
of Military Power If War is Ever to Be
Eliminated Throughout the World ):

international sentiment to the point OF
taking the findings OF the court OF srbi-
tratlon and executing them by whatever
means, economic or military, the situation
might require, at least to the extent OF
employing compulsory measures against
any nation that goes to war without
having first submitted to the interna-
tional court the question in dispute
Such a league has been formed Of which
MIR, TAFT Is the president. Nations pa
officially disposed will be the ones most
readily inclined 60 enter that league. But
in order TO enforce the courts decisions
or In order to compel a reference to the
court Of any question In dispute before
resort TO arms, the nations pacifically
inclined will have to hold the preponder-
ance Of military power. which brings VS.
squarely upon the ground covered by
Mr., Flske's statement already quoted
Now we are a pacific people and shall
have an important part TO play in any
scheme Of the kind outlined We have
an occasional iinsoist who breaks in
upon the quiet Of rational mems think
ing, but as n nation we are decidedly
irenic. We do not want war. and there
Is no reason why we should. We have
all we want and have no cause for going
outside in order. to get more. Like any
other republic our strength lies in the
maintenance of quiet relations among
ourselves and relations OF comfy with
people outside
We arc favored OF Providence by hav-
ing had given to us such abundant terri
tory and by having that territory locate.
at the greatest possible distance from
both frontiers of the eastern hemisphere.
As, therefore, we are not nationally in
fected with the war virus and are In no
special danger of developing into milf
tant condition of ambition. we can with
out any considerable peril to ourselves
secure TO ourselves as large a military
and naval equipment as our financial re-
sources will allow, and thus become as
Mr.. Fiske said. one OF those pacific peo-
pies in which the preponderance Of mill
tary power has been gathered, and thus
help TO attain the worlds pacification by
the amplitude of our military efficiency.
II is difficult to understand how any
one. especially 10 the most peacefully
disposed. can arrive at a diverse convic-
ton provided only there be first a cor
dial acceptance of Mr.. F1ske's prophecy
and a hearty sympathy with the doc
trine represented by the league to en-
IOTCe peace.
Secretary Lane, in his annual report.
soon to be issued, refers TO our twenty
and more million children as the coun-
trys resources. 1t is interesting to notice
how each secretary considers II Is his
own department to be the salvation of
the country. The secretary of war is
going to save the country by his army I:
the secretary OF the navy by his ships.
and now Secretary Lane Is going to save
II by his boys and girls.
| II Is rather fine. though. TO have the
! last named recognize the children as our
principal asset. Young flesh and blood
OF the human breed are far IN advance
OF sheep, wheat, land forests and mines
! for while they may not count for a great
deal while they are still In the bud. yet
in due time they will blossom II they re-
oeive the care for which the secretary
pleads; and what the home and the
schools, especially the rural schools.
make OF them, will altogether determine
what the country will be twenty-five or
thirty years hence.
4 We want our mines worked. our rivers
tanned. our forests preserved. our land
| TILED. but II is the children that for veal
or for woe are destined to be the supreme
factor in our nations future.