The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1922-07-21

WASHINGTON, D. c., July I'll
What will the young people of today
think about war when their time
comes to hold the reins of govern
ment? This is question to which
some of the peace societies are giving
special attention.
1t is discouraging to atenmpt to al
ter the traditions of ruling genera
tion-the graybeards, and the firm
jawed, safety-first middle-aged men.
But the younger generation - what
ideas of warfare will it form from its
school books and what will be its i'm
pressions of the European War. and
the confusing talk of peace and pre-
paredness? Peace advocates hope for
great things from the students of to-
day. a
School books ar ebeing discussed as
a particularly strong influence for or
against war. There is some debate as
to whether school history books have
not been largely responsible for max
ing war seem romantic General John
F. Ryan, commander of the Twenty
Seventh Division, A. E. F., believes
ludJ Jul SSAOO1 A1oIOA4C0 w -
written
Il think he says, that l can trace
my own military career to Barnes
history, with one particularly inspiring
picture of Phil Sheridan waving his
hat and yelling: Turn boys, turn! we
are going back"
General Organ suggests sthat our
conception of patriotism should be re-
hoe hnrnnS
aplenty," he says, land their careers
can be made just as inspiring as those
Of our warriors"
There is no question that patriotism
and fighting have been almost synony-
nous in the minds of school children.
And the school history, with its anee'
dotes of thrilling hand to hand encoun-
tiers, and its picture of white horses
cavorting about batlefields, has por-
! trayed war as exciting sport. The
| economic results of conquest ard the
| pestilence and death side of warfare
were hurried over by the school his
torians as being beyond the children's
grasp, or too depressing.
Modern War Not So Attractive
Until lately the possible consequences
! of presenting the colorful side If war
have not seemed so serious. War had
| not been made efficient, wholesale
slaughter. But with the last war the
i galloping hero was dismounted by eff
/ ficiency experts and made a cog in an
enormous machine. Science produced
i more ways of killing and manning
men than Caesar or Napolean evel
i dreamed Of And for future wars we
have the prospect of Lewisite gas in
visible, odorless, but so deadly that q
j single air raid would consume city
! General Tasker H. Bliss is response
BILE for the statement that an air raid
with this gas would wipe out the
whole first American army of 1880
900 men.
Decidedly, war isn't what it used tt
be. 1t is small wonder that peace ad
:, vocates are suggesting that the gram
mar school historians play up Ber
Franklin, Columbus, Henry Ford an,
+, other famous folk whose claims tt
. fame do not rest on their : fighting
!, abilities.
, Farther along in the school system
the student gets economics and h,
) may learn something of how and VIII,
} the people of nation pay for grea
) social disturbances. He may lear,
; that wars of conquest are arranged b.
men in power and fought and pait
for by the everyday citizens. But tn,
grammar school history book, with It
/ dashing heroes in uniform may hav,