Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1919-06-05

thing that has cost humanity TO-
100000 lives in 10 years Of this GEN.
fury?
Dr.. Wood argues in substance
that war 10 inevitable and hence
should be welcomed. Ito adjust the
equilibrium Of nations that exceed
their powers and refuse to adjust"
And then he. and those with him
who hold UP their hands In holy hor-
ror at any attempt to adjust differ
ences by diplomacy. put up the in
fanttle scare that this agreement be-
tween nations will some time involve
American sons in the broi1s Of Eu.
rope or Asia.
Mr.. Wood says:
IT Christianity. the guardian Of our
most valued spiritual possessions. failed
TO prevent the awful cstaciysm tnsou<s,
words. Of solemn promises reduced %
ink and paper, can make bad faith
good, prevent conspiracy. restrain the
vigorous nation that has outErown its
allotted position in the world"
In this as in all Of his points
against the league of nations, We are
led to wonder if DR.. Wood would have
US understand his ground as opposed
to solemn covenants and moral sua-
sion as the first means Of restraint Of
unruly tendencies in family life; if
he would dissolve every agency for
the control Of criminal tendencies in
community affairs: and if he would
resort to arms as the first and only
means Of dealing with the perver-
sity Of humanity in national control.
His acceptance Of the doctrine that
war is good thing reminds US Of
the attitude Of 80 illustrious Ger
man proponents Of the faith that
might is right. and that war is the
only means of human advancement.
Summing up Dr. Woods argument
against league of nations We find
two distinct propositions upon which
he has based his entire argument:
That idealism has failed, and in prov
ing its failure he has proven abso-
lutely. to the last word, that every
attempt to adjust the equilibrium Of
nations through the agency Of war
has failed because the balance Of
power has changed with every dem
onstration. He has proved that war
as a recurring phenomenon" and an
'ineradicable occurrence Of life" Is
the most supreme failure Of all the
endeavors of mankind. II there
were single fact in support Of his
contention that idealism is a failure
and that war is success. let us ask
Of him how much better off little Bel
GUM would have been had she
pledged her faith wholly in arms
rather than in an obligation on the
part Of Great Britain and Germany
and France to maintain her national
integrity?
We assume that Dr. Wood knows
that Germany thought Great Britain
would not dare face such a military
power as that which the world had
permitted Germany to grow. and that
Britain would permit Lcr covenant
with Belgium to become a cowardly
scrap of paper" Germany had full
faith in war as "ineradicable' and a
recurring phenomenon" to be DELHI
erately provoked as INSCRIPTIONS
members Of the world family became
strong enough to dominate the small
er and defy the stronger members.
The world too long permitted Ger
many to teach that war is ineradica-
BILE" and that idealism is a failure to
be treated with scorn by militarism
Indeed DR.. Wood INDUCES in amaz-
ing defense Of the thing that made
of Germany an outlaw and hated OF
all nations.
Is that why we sent our sons to
Europe, to overthrow one oligarchy,
and establish another under the same
system. and defended by the same
doctrine that there is no escape from
the cussedness of humanity except
by killing it off, and that we cannot
even improve the value Of moral OBJ
legations but must ever go on in
creasing the cost and the horror of
the adjustment processes in the at
fairs Of nations. in progressive
ratio as Of the past - million
lives and % billions of treasure in
the 10Th century. and ten million
lives and 200 billions of treasure in
one fifth Of the Goth century.
We commend DR.. Woods argu-
ments to the pre- war period.
CHELSEA