Daily Kennebec journal., 1921-11-12

purpose is to minimize the chances
OF war by removing some CT the
| CAUSES of war; to set UP the arb!-
tration Of the court, in place CT the
arbitration of the sword: to establish
permanently, the rule of reason: and,
as a corolllry, to Go away, is far as
possible, with the machinery of war.
| The major part of the differences
| between Nations could be settled, and
ought to be settled, as differences be
| tween individuals are settled. It's
monstrous to think they can be set
tied only by manning and killing hu-
man beings. and spreading sorrow
and suffering and devastation over
the land.
This Country believes, the toiling
millions of the Earth believe. that eX-
cess of Armaments and great military
efficiency, if not a cause, are at least
n very potent agent in making war,
and they arc begging for relief from
this continual threat, and this intol
crable burden.
The World cannot go on in a wild
race for military supremacy.
1t is worse than an endless, chain.
1t is moral and economic folly.
1t is International suicide.
We need not expect immediate to-
tai disarmament, idealistic as it is
and blessed as it would be.
The time may never come when
Nations will beat their swords into
plow- shares and their spears into
pruning hooks"
And yet they can cherish the ideal,
and they can struggle toward it, con-
scious that they may never reach 1t
but knowing, also, that they are bet
ter for making the effort.
No man can expect to Measure ur-
to the statute of the fullness OF
Christ, and yet for 1900 years the
Christian World has been following
in His footsteps,-howeve lamely-
and crying unto Him in its hour of
travail.
This conference must not, fail-it
will not be allowed to fail-because
it attempted the impossible" 1t will
be bombarded with isms and beseiged
by fanatics. But I trust it Will keep
it's feet on the ground.
We do not expect to reach the goal
at single bound; but we do want to
make a beginning. The next step VIII
be comparatively easy.
Let there be something done now In
the interest of peace, and towards
taking from the backs of the people
the burden of these vast military
machines-the building of great ships
Of war, to become obsolete within a
decade-the perpetuation of great
armies, themselves productive
and calling for an outlay from the
product of others that is like hang
ing a milestone about the neck of
every child that is born into the
world.
Limit the power of this threaten
ing agent. as fast and as far as pos
sible, in the hope, and in the trust,
that never again shall the whole
World be shrouded in misery and the
very flower of its manhood be mark
ed for claughter.
OF course / do not speak of dsar-
mament as applied to- such military
strength as is necessary to maintain
internal peace. He would indeed be
a Utopian or a madman. who should
advocate the abolition Of the police
power of the Nations. But that need
not be large enough to suggest ag-
gression, nor costly enough to amount
to a serious burden.
And I venture to say that II we
could get rid Of distrust among Ma
tions. if peoples of the Old World |
would so order their lives as to give !
no cause for distrust. if they would |
cease talking about spheres OF infiu- |
ence and balance of power-if they |
would give one-tenth Of the time and |
to the study and the appIica-
ton of the principles of the Master,
that they have given to the Manual
of Arms and its exploitation, the
question of disarmament would take |
care OF itself.
The plain duty of the people of all
the World. today, is to make their
influence SO strong and so felt by the
Peace Commissioners who represent
them-and who, / doubt not, recognize
the tremendous responsibility which
rests upon them. and who approach