Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1919-06-05
Shall W. Turn Back to "Might Il
Right?

Snolt We urn 0dCk 20 "ISUS -
Right?
Sometimes We hope. a hope that
almost amounts to prayer. that some
Of the men Of today who are placing
themselves upon some Of the great
problems that confront the world.
may be permitted to return in half a
century and stand with bowed heads
while their children's children listen
in shame to the attitude Of their an
cestors in this day Of Goth century
enlightenment" Think Of the
grandchildren of Henry A. Wise
Wood hearing him quoted:
war is a recurring phenomenon and
as such is among the ineradicabie &C.
cuPYenceS OF life.
Or, again:
''Idealism indeed, has exacted, and
sins Of its leaders who entrusted to
paper instead of to arms the safety OF
their peoples. 1t is all very we'll to
dream Utopian dreams but IT is un.
safe to act upon Ctopian principles until
We know that we are in Utopia, ms
truth the !dealist never has learned
Again:
1T does no, lie in the nature Of man
TO accept as conclusive any decision
short Of that Of force in matters which
he has grown to beleSe-whether erron-
sously or not-are vital to his exist
ence.'
These are typical quotations en-
bodying the strong points delivered
by Dr.. Wood in an address at
Cleveland, O.. last March and revised
in May to include the reconstructed
covenant which the kennebec Jour-
nal published on April q.
DR.. Woods arguments are so child
like in their assumption Of the SIM
plicity and absolute ignorance of the
people, as to require little mental ef-
fort in their answer. For instance.
he says the first test We must apply
to the present league IS 10 ascertain
whether or not, in the light of his
tory, warfare is eradicable. He pro-
ceeds to prove his claim that it is
not, assuming, obviously, that the
masses have not sufficient intelli-
Sence to know that no one has
claimed or even hopes that war can
be fully eradicated in all its phases
and degrees while the world remains
human in its attributes. But some
Of US have gone far enough along
the road to a better way to believe
and to give reasonable reasons IN
proof that while we may not eradi-
cate war, we may reduce the posi-
bilities Of such horrors as those of
the past Ave years by graspins the
present opportunity to reduce arma-
ments and provide for keeping awake
to every attempt of any nation to
increase. secretly or openly. its
preparations for war or inventions
for not other uses than war.
Dr.. Wood says our statutes are
powerless to prevent broken faith
and violence among men. and how
then are the less definite and only
indiferently sanctioned provisions Of
this covenant to prevent irrecon-
eilable disagreement or broken faith
and violence among nations?"
OF course our statutes have not
prevented broken faith and violence
among men. but can any human be-
ing Of intelligence pretend that
statutes and agreements between
men. and between communities have
proven useless: that they have not
reduced the breaking of faith and
the Indulgence in violence: Or. to
deal more bluntly with Mr.. Wood.
let US inquire if, to follow out his
logic to conclusion, the dis
ttnguished gentleman would now
abolish all statutes and provisions
tor the restraint Of violence or the
maintenance Of sacred pledges be-
tween men and men, or between state
and state. or nation and nation?
Dr.. Wood turns to the history of
warfare to see whether wars have
lessened In frequency. duration or in
tensity. and he proves not only con-
rstant growth. but alarming bounds
in the cost Of war. in life and treas
ure. while the world grows more
liberal and it, commerce has been
increasing, and it, international law
has been developing. and its peoples
have been aecustoming themselves
to cooperate With each other"
aGtlng proven these things to his
own satisfaction and to the further
enlightenment Of every person who
weighs their Significance with an in
taliigent balance. it would seem to US
that It some time It must have &C.
Cured to Dr.. Wood that such a sys-
tenn - this must be all wrong, and
growing wrong a. the years 90 on-is
that the reason for Mr.. Woods
hatred Of any other plan Of restrain
ing violence and the keeping Of faith:
Il hs 30 in love with this war scheme
of things and the rapid growth Of
costs and horrors under the COM
pstittve plan Of dispensing the pow
err Of growth and progress of CIV
l.