The labor world., 1921-11-12

early centuries lived up to its early
beginnings it would have been today
to the fore not only as a force urg-
ing disarmament but a.; force pre-
venting any suggestion of armament
in the same way as it does any legal
izing or commercializing of vice.
There is abundant evidence that
centuries Of it's existence stood
steadfast against the bearing of arms.
Some historians have maintained
with excellent proof that this fact
was the real contributing cause OF
the many outbursts of perse luton the
early church faced during that
period.
The mere fact that those early
Christians were not pagans was not
the cause of prosecutions as some
have enormously believed. This is
evident for the scattered Jews were
part and parcel of the warlike Ro-
man nation that was then mistress
of the civilized world. These Jews
so long as they were free from any
seditious move or conspiracy to un-
molested in the exercise of their wor-
ship OF Jehovah.
The early Roman persecution was
not on purely religious grounds as
evidenced by the Jews remaining un-
molested while they wors.ipped ac-
cording to Moses. It was due to the
fact that Christians refused to bear
arms or sanction war werv treated as
those opposing the governments
hence their condemnations to death,
oftentimes bitterly cruel
y,
tians was that the Messianic reign
was one of promise wherein the Old
Testament prophets hal declared
that swords and spears were to be
! beaten into plow shares and pruning
hooks and men were to mo NOR,
learn war" They claimed that
Christ had ordered st. Peter to Put
up thy sword, for they that use the
sword shall perish by the sword"
AS the Roman power grew and the
Church turned to meet the popular
opinion so it conformed to the mill
taristic from which it has not
swerved during some sixteen CEN
turies.
I Doubtless there are logical argu-
ments that can prove the impossible
! ity of world free from arnlaments,
and so justify the support the church
has given to the bearing Of arms.
Whatever may be said down either
| line Of argument, the fact confronts
| us today that the world has seen its
folly and practically unbearable bur-
den 1t is carrying in its gigantic ar
maments What it might have done
by following precept it now seeks to
do as the result of centuries Of bitter
cxperience-each century succeed
ing the other with increasing horror.
Now comes the call from this great
government for the big nations to
gather and consider what can be
done. While we have expressed our
Unbelief elsewhere on this front page
we are going to do our bit to get il
| result other than that we fear we
will get.
The American labor movement is
putting forth it's effort all over the
United States to create the proper
sentiment towards this end. Nor is
this all we have done. President
Gompers has cabled the labor leaders
Of every country urging they take
similar action. From England Pres
ldent Gompers has received an Off
cial copy of the disarmament reso-
luton adopted by the British Trade
Union Congress-. representing $780,
900 organized workers. at the recent
annual convention at Cardiff. The
resolution was transmitted in a letter
| from Z. w. BoWerman, secretary of
the Congress Parliamentary Commit
tee. and reads:
| This congress learns with satisfac-
ton that the President of the United
States is calling an international con-
terence to discuss the question of the
| disarmament of nations, with which
i policy it is fully in accord.
| IN the opinion of this congress,
however, such a conference will not
be satisfactory unless labor is ade-
quately represented thereon, and un-
derstanding that Great Britain VIII
take part in such conference this con-
Sress claims the right to appoint rep
rcsentatlVes of organized labor to at
tend the conference. seeing that the
subject to be discussed is a matter.
vltally affecting the interests of tho
workers in all nations.
The congress further protests
against the recent decision of the
British government to carry out an
extensive program of armaments
which is contrary to the spirit and
policy Of disarmament and peace, as
advocated repeatedly by members of
the government themselves.
The congress further asks for the
suspension of all preparations for
war. at least until the disarmament
conference has finished its work.
AS we pointed out in our issue last
week the fact that big business has
found immense profit in war-so we
again express ourselves The sofdid
love of gold may overcome the genu-
inc sense of the cause of good. To
this end resolutions calling upon this
and the other governments to elimi-
nate the private manufacture of mu-