Macon beacon., 1917-06-01
The Dreamer and His Dream.

During the latter halfOf the last
century, there lived and wrought
in Russia a man with a yision-a
vision as truly inspired as that Of
a major prophet. His vision was
a dream Of peace through non-re.
sistancc. He wrote books about
it: wrote novels and essays and
stories, expanding and explaining
his dream. Like another dreamer
in another era, "thc common pco-
pie heard him gladly" The com
mon people could not read; only
one man in four in Russia is a
reader. But they heard of the
vision. The dreamcr's dream was
told by fresides and in workshops
and in fields and mines. And
then, after a long life of preaching
peace and good will, Tolstoi died.
Today, on a thousand miles of
battle front, the Russian soldiers
are thinking of the dreamer S
dream. 1t is today more potent in
The world than the kaiscr's can.
non. He may intrigue with it; he
may even win his intrigue with it.
The kaiser may even win the war
by playing upon the creduIty Of
hose who dream that dream. But
hat dream will cross the German
boundary whether the kaiser plays
alse to it or not, and sooner OF
alter that dream will he the dyna
mite that will blow his throne to
atoms.
Stronger than the force of gun
powdcr, more mighty than any EN-
.inc Of war, the T0lstoian vision
lands today rising force in this
lrth. Amid war is unconquer
bic Armies cannot drive il
lway. II is among the common
Oeople Of this earth the one great
,urc principle to which they hold
n this time Of upheayal, "1'hc
'ommon people heard him gladly
lud they have not forgotten. For
The first time in all history, labor
ing men who furnish the fodder
for the hungry cannon are taking a
strong hand in demanding peace
and setting forth the terms OF
peace.
Littlc-indeed almost nothing
1T alI-is certain about this war;
its fortunes may throw victory to
one side or to the other; or there
may be no victory. But the little
that is certain is embodied in one
fact: There will be no conquest,
and in the end it will be a war for
peace because the common people,
the peasants OF Russia, the labor
ing men of Germany, the Socialists
of England, aud the masses in
America and France are sick of
war, and will not tolerate a war of
conquest. Moreover, for the first
time in history the common peo-
pie have in their power now the
control of governments. Militar-
ism will not rise again. Its doom
is the one thing certain in time
of doubt. Armament. soldiers,
death dealing machines of all kinds
will be scrappcd after the war.
God has had enough of war, and
the voice of the people, which is,
after all, the only voice ofGod the
world knows, is rising to register
Gods wrath. When Germany,
with her military caste, with her
gross matclialism With her com.
mcrcial feudaIiSm is overthrown,
and democracy rises where the war,
lord ruled, wars will cease. Dem
ocrac;eS do not force war. They
will permit war only Ior defense.
And when the world is governed
by democracicS conquest is done.
Let the munition makers dance
now for the fiddler is playing
home, sweet home" for them.
The whole world is coming to see
the vision of Tolstoi. And when
there is peace among men, and
good will among men, justice will
have a chance to thrive among
men. Stronger than steel, or dy
Mantle, or stone, or iron, is the
everlasting unyielding force of a
great truth. AS we see the labor.
ing people of the earth moving in
congresses, in conferences, in
leagues and conclayeS, all with one
idea big in them, we know how a
little leayen, lcaveneth the whole
lump.