Evening star., 1922-01-22
Ready to Follow Any Road
Which Leads Way to Peace

cate individuals and nations out OF
their personal and racial charac-
teristics than through all other
sources combined. The effort to
make other men do what you do,
to think what you think. believe
what you believe and hope for
what you hope for, has paralyized
them at enmity with you. has
rendered them discontented. and
consequently has made them ready
for war. It will be great good
thing IL the Washington confer
ence shall show to the world that
that nation is the best nation
which possesses national aims and
force other nations to adopt them.
1t will be a fine thing when the
head shall discover that it is not
q foot and when the foot shall at
tempt neither to talk nor guide.
1t Is not to be expected that the
barriers of race and religion will
be broken down in a moment.
modest and unassuming and be
willing to take their allotted
places in the economy of the
worlds word, but it is not too
early to ask the thoughtful indi-
Vldual. who Is the unit Of every
national life, seriously to consider
whether the time has not come
when he should forget racial and
religious questions and should be
willing to pursue the way in life
which offers the largest success for
himself and the greatest hope Of
peace for humanity
y \ X \
lay no claim myself to supe-
rior knowledge or higher purpose
than the average American. I un-
derstand how difficult it is to get
rid Of one diagnosis and trust to
another. The history Of the world
convinced me that there could be
no such thing as authority with
out power to enforce its DEGREES.
I therefore believed that to pro-
mote the peace of the world it was
essential that back of the agree
ment to guarantee world peace
there should be the power to en-
force 1T If occasion ever arose. But
maybe my diagnosis was wrong.
At any rate, I am not in charge of
sick world. Those who have the
patient In hand seem convinced
that If there can be time to pause.
siulC ~ tiIAhs lIui0 " TCdSOUs llIHS
to explain. time to observe what he
effect OF war will be. amicable
solution can be reached touching
any trouble that may threaten in
the future: that. therefore. there
Is no need to hold in readiness the
compelling arm of force.
do not apologize for the opinion
suredly advise the taking of the
treatment which the doctors now
offer. hopefully pray that be-
cause Of the advance the. world
around with reference to racial =
traits and characteristics there Is
a larger charity of opinion now
than at any other time in all his
tory.
Who am I to say that ten years
constant talk as to the desirable
ity of peace. constant warning
against the horrors and devesta-
tions of war, constant efforts of
the. nations Of the earth better to
understand each other may not at
the end of that time make war
many times more abhorrent than
1t Is even now? Who am l to de-
clare that the movement toward
Lie llIHllatlOH OIL armament may
not set going a constantly in
creasing public sentiment through
out the world that will be so
strong in its onsweep as to over
whelm any government that might
attempt to plunge the world in the
woes of armed conflict
In the midst of a political cam
paign I have an inherent right
to be democrat by voice and
vote. 1t is guaranteed by nature
and by law that / may express
nay sentiments as to the good of
country and the better ways to
promote the peace of the world
But above this inherent right of
mine rises my solemn duty as a
lone American. my duty as a man
who recognizes Brotherhood, who
cannot but be convinced that some
way, somehow, some. time, the real
pathfinders. pioneers and conquer
ors Of the world will be found
among those who blaze their way
through the forests of peace rath-
er than among those who loot
and pillage in the name of law
and liberty. So here / stand, with
no apology for the past. but with
firm resolve that whoever leads
with the intent of leading me and
mine to- the mountains of peace, 1
will follow. silent. but not sullen
tconyriaht. 1922, By Thomas r. Msrshall.l