The Washington herald., 1922-08-02
Wasted Effort.

- be because of conditions which can be COPIED
49, with in no other way-not because the boys
Z, want bayonet picnic One might conclude, how
ever from the pacist demonstrations in Washing
ton last week that large body of public opinion
: demanded war just for the sake of fighting-that
the people have a vice of mitarism which must
: be cured.
: Do the folks who stick pacards on gravestones
and carry banners in the think that all wars
are wrong-that a nation should submit to any
sort of ndignties rather than fight? Do they think
that the with Germany, for instance. was
wrong? Do they think that the with Spain
wrong? Do they think that the American
49, Revolution wrong: In Germany started
sinking American ships again would they advise
! The nation to submit tamey-to send still more
ships to be sunk or to apologize if ship didn't
happen to be located conveniently for submarine
commander to operate:
sss In other words, are not the efforts of pac6st
organizations to arouse public sentiment against
the possibility of armed strife largely purposeless
and wasted? The United States will not fight until
it has unmistakable duty to fight. This is illus
trated by every page of American history. We
never have fought an unjust war. Would the
pacihsts have abstain from just wars?
The and who promoted the mo
More War demonstration here last week probably
are surprised that apparently laudable move
should have aroused so much opposition. They
are apt to conclude cyncaly that invisible and
sinister forces at work in the interests of war,
that leaders in the profession OF resting
Uneasy at the prospect of prolonged peace and
that armament manufacturers far from satisfied
Ssat the prospect OF lions and lambs gambling to-
--gether in harmony the international lawn.
All of these conclusions may be true.
They are beside the point War will come only at
the will of the American people, who will first make
that there is no other way.
- This mo More War demonstration is some
what like campaign against operations for appen-
Gicts against castor oil for children. We may
rest assured that nobody will submit to the sur
--geons knife unless it is matter of life death.
We NAV rest assured that children will not take
oil unless it is needed to prevent them from
becoming sick. We may rest assured that this
nation will not resort to until every other
means OF settling international dispute has failed.
Surely these folks would not ask individual to
die before allowing surgeon to operate. They
would not ask that children be allowed to become
:, sick before dose of castor oil is administered
They would not ask that nation give up its life
and its liberty rather than go to Or do they
think that the United States is about to pick a
fight with some other country? If such were the
case their demonstrations would be justified If the
Emitted States casting envious eyes at the British
West -1ndies and seeing peaceful way to obtain
them. were about to declare on Great Britain
in order to get them by orce the paci6st entfusi-
asts would have reason to become excited.
But if they have any such ideas they mistake
the high purposes of their native land. Surely they
would not have the United States abstain from war
il foreign power should attempt, for instance, to
capture Florida. Yet we can other purpose
Tor their demonstrations. In a nation which never
has fought and never intends to fight an unjust
they conduct campaign against all wars
1t is all very well to talk of the costs of war
and the suherings OF wharf.-the burdens of which
usually fall upon the innocent. 1t is easy enough
20 throw a veil of tears the main issue But
the people should lose sight of this issue
The sick man may appreciate the fact that a sur
gical operation viii be unpleasant, nauseatng
experience but he must forget that the main
point to consider is not the temporary sickness but
the saving OF his life. The nation may appreciate
the fact that caused terrible waste of life in
the field and terrible suffering home-but it is
resorted to only to the life OF "a nation.
Tribes Central Asia go on the warpath for
pleasure. We read in the accounts of travellers.
They conduct their annual as Washington Sab
bath schools conduct their annual picnics-with no
thought but of the joy to be derived from killing
the fellows who belong 20 the tribe owe, the hills
Among these folks the demonstrations of the pacsts
might be of some But civilized nations do not
fight for pleasure. Rarely indeed does one fight
for anything but national salvation. Once in a
while some country, Germany for instance turns
loose her armies for apparently unjust purpose
but she pays penalty so heavy that she Is not
apt TO repeat the performance,
rBut," the paeihsts will say EVERY nation in
VOWED in is assured of the justice Of its own
cause. There is only one right and one wrong.
The people have no idea sof what they axe fighting
fof They accept ike Blind sheep the word 81 theif