The Hartford republican. (Hartford, Ky.) 18??-1926, 1917-10-19

! have pursued the programme OF torce
the plans of militarism-during
( all the thirty years which have elaps-
! ed since 1887. II brute force be the
security of nations. Germany ought
| to be safe. A scheme was perfect
: ed to conquer the world, and every
minutest provision for the success of
the scheme was made with scientific
/ precision. But the programme of
! force has not been successful, and
! greater failure for 1t is at hand.
Greater force has been aroused
against Teutonic force. and the war
has now become war against war
Unless mankind Is incapable Of
I learning the lesson of this awful con-
fict: unless the love of battle is an
ineradicable instinct of human ma
ture. we may reasonably hope that
the nations will now see that war is
a futile and false means for settling
international disputes.
Modern science has discovered
agents and modern invention has de-
vised instruments Of almost infinite
power. one nation armed with these
devices can protract through weary
and wasteful years conflict with
many nations. This indeed is what
the German militarists have done and
are doing They have combined saw
agery and science in form almost
invincible. And behold the HORT
BILE results, Millions of precious
lives have been sacrificed on the al
tar of brute force. Vast expendi-
lures have been made. and must yet
he made again. which stagger the
mind to conceive or compute! The
programme of force is monstrous
failure. BY such programme civ
ilization can not be secured; II de-
stroys civilization. The burdens
which II imposes in a time of peace
are intolerable, and in this time Of
war they are nothing less than hid
eous.
But we cannot permit ourselves 10
he deluded by the pipe-dreams of 4
puerile pacifism, Brute force on its
rampage must be put down by force
in order TO end forever its brutal
reign. A true lover OF peace. who
has sense enough TO perceive the OBJ
vious. must give his support TO this
war against war.
But when peace comes, men must
not ne deceived by the notion that
peace will be enduring without any
thing else is accomplished than the
defeat of German militarism. That
result will he very great achieve
ment. and il is well worth fighting
for. But the peace following the
war will he nothing better than g
prOtraatpd armistice il the wrid
does not recognize and submit to the
reign OF righteousness. Science
will continue in the future, as in the
past, to discover agents OF deadly de-
structiveness and Unreasonable pow
er. and these agents will be employed
by seifshnsss in schemes OF agsres-
sion unless the nations are plugged
of unholy greed and domineering am
billions. II must be so in the very
nature of che case.
~ a Of xtsaY 70
preparation for a righteous peace
must be made and made speedily.
And this means that the majority OF
the moral law must be enthronad in
the hearts of the nations. Men must
become moral enough to restrain
them from the immoral use OF pow
err notwithstanding the prUstrat-
ing effects of this terrible war, the
power If mankind is going To in
crease more and more. Titanic
forces Of nature, not yet known or
only partially known, will be brodght
into subjuEdriOn 10 mankiud, and
with tue aUsmenLing Of power Will
come tie temptation to use It unlaw-
fully The outcome Of such a pro-
cess will be other and more awful
wars unless the human race becomes
more moral and religious When
power outruns piety the most dread
ful consequences always follow. Such
has been the case ia the past, ana
such win be the case in the future
The security of modern civiliza-
ton cannot rest on Gee great iri-
umph of force over force. The on
ly Notifications for its defense that
will assure its peaceful perpetuation
must be thrown up in the human
heart. BY this means alone can the
superhuman forces. which tho future
will uncover, be held back from bel
ligerency and made benevolent.
Nor can civilization be safeguard
ed by feeble morality of secularism.
Ethical principles must be enforced
by the sanctions of religion and ex-
ecuted i'm the strength of religious