South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1916-06-13
PREVENT WAR.
.R WS-TINIES-

EDITOR NEWS-TIMES-
Most people have some faint idea
OF what war costs an human. suf-
fering and property, and would like
10 prevent it. II can be done. It's
up to you. the people. to do it, Don't
say it can't be done, Do ali in your
rover TO accomplish it.
You know that lighting is not a
good way to settle a difference. 1t
IS against the law for individuals to
fiHht Make il against the law for
thousands and millions OF them 10
fight in war. AS a rule. individuals
don't fight unless they want to. and
it is soon over In war. many of
them have TO fight when they don't
want 10. And it lasts for months
and years. If it is wrong for in
d;viduals TO light, why is it not wrong
Ger thousands and millions Of them
L. fight? Think il over, Think it
over. Is il not worse for thousands
10 fight for years. than for indNid-
uals TO fight for a few minutes?
Individuals can settle their diff
ferences honorably and fairly in
court without a fight. Nations can
do the same thing We organize
cities for the transaction of city bus
in ess, counties, for county business,
states, for state business, and ma
tons, or federation of states, for
interstate business. Go one step
further-Organize the nations for
settlement of international ques-
tions. Make it against the law for
nations to fight. Enforce the law.
Then fighting will soon play out. 1t
will ne disgrace for "A nation to
Violate the law. 1t will not be honor
able 10 fight, except TO enforce the
law The wonder is, that the people
have gone this long without doing
this. Ii seems there is no other way
to prevent war. Preparation on one
side causes more preparation on the
other side. and just makes the war
more destructive. An alliance on
one side causes an alliance on the
other side. and instead Of prevent
ing war. just make a much bigger
war. But these things seem neces-
sary under the present system OF
a
Arbitration is good. but too often
az the time it is most needed. they
won't arbitrate. on one side they
night for what they think is right,
or the other side they do the very
same thing-they fight for what they
think is right A difference of opin-
ion. Each side looks at il from
their side OF the question. When
they can't agree. what they need is
fair and impartial body of people
selected for the purpose TO decide
TIE question for them. How much
better this would be than 10 fight il
out. When people have conflicting
il terests. and get mad. they are not
the proper ones 10 decide the ques-
ton fairly and impartially. When a
conflict comes, some blame one side.
some blame the other side. The
s,-stem OF settling differences be-
tween nations, by lighting Change
the system.
When nations can't agree. have a
disinterested. fair and impartial
tribunal 10 decide il. and not have
the interested parties dzciGv 4 in the
heat OF passion. Orsanize tie ma
tons: call il federation or league.
whatever YOU will. Have an inter-
rational tribunal; call IL a court. or
what YOU may. Make 1t against the
law for nations 10 fight. Enforce
the law. save millions of lives and
property Instead OF death. destruc-
ton and misery. there viii be life.
/ happiness and prosperity. IL this
! IIes il DToDerly presented - al fh~