Evening journal., 1922-05-31

very small countries. both situated
on the firing line, saw the war com
ing and took steps TO prevent theii
being drawn into Il. In effect, they
posted signs along their frontiers
reading, Keep out, beware of the
dog" The belligerents saw the
signs, looked over tho frontiers, anc
saw tho preparations that had beer
made TO punish intruders and de-
cided that discretion was the better
part OF valor, with the result that
not a hostile shot was fired either
on Dutch or Swiss territory, nor did
any belligerent send across the
frontiers OF those countries ar
armed force OF any size whatever
during the entire war. Switzerland
is a republic. but by making sensi-
BILE and sufficient plans. 1t proved
to the world that IL was not neces-
sary for Switzerland to so TO war
10 make the world safe for It's kind
OF democracy.
No Plea for MiIitarisun
This Is not plea that we
/
matter OF fact militarism Is such a
loose term. and is used to mean so
many things, that we cannot talk
about II without first defining the
word as used in the particular dis
cussion under way. AS a matter Of
fact, no war in which we have ever
been engaged has been brought on
by military man. All wars have
been the result OF the inability OF
our civil authorities 10 come to an
agreement with the civil authorities
of our adversaries. When, as the
result OF conferences, diplomatic
notes and arguments, our civil su-
thorities have failed to come to an
understanding with those of an
other country. and when as the ro-
suit, diplomatic relations have been
broken. then and not until then has
the military been called upon to
take a hand in the dispute.
The point is that in our country
all wars are brought on by those in
high civil Office, and only after war
has been declared have military men
been called upon TO bring about
peace. This has been so even In our
Indian wars. We often hear peo-
pie talk about beating swords into
plowshares and spears into pruning
hooks. and nations not lifting up
their swords against nations and
about not learning war any more. |
These are fine sounding phrases and |
mean nothing II detached from the |
prophecy TO which they belong. |
These things will only come to pass
when justice and righteousness rule |
the world. II you will make a study |
of world conditions as they exist to-
day-China, Poland. Roumania, Ire
land, England, France, Russia-and |
come to the conclusion that the time |
has arrived when justice and right |
eousness are ruling the world, then !
we OF the regular army will be the |
first to turn in our swords and ask |
that they be beaten into plowshares. |
IF, however, as a result of your |
study you come to the conclusion /
that the time has not yet arrived |
when Justice and Righteousness are
ruling the world, then we as your
technical and professional advisors
must insist that you do two things.
One Is that you place in high civil
positions those individuals who will
deal honestly and Justly with for
sign nations, and second, that you
will see that our country carries
what may be called insurance
against war in the way OF some plan
'or national defense. As a matter OF
act we feel that you have already
AIKEN both OF those steps. So far as
he national defense Is concerned,
ne have had on the statute books OF
he country for the past two years
aw which provides for a very small
'egular army. some National Guard,
md organizations OF reserves, con-
listing OF some OF those who trained
md fought in the last war, a provi-
ion for military training in some OF
'our schools and colleges. and also
ummer military camps, the last
famed being the successors OF Cen
raj Woods Plattsburgh camps. In
ther words we have taken out the
insurance. and IL is now in force. II
; true we have to pay premiums on !
/ annually. but they are no more !
rksome to pay than are the pre- ,
NUNS which most individuals pay !
n their personal life insurance. Z
please bear in mind that this ma
Ional insurance that speak OF is !
he minimum necessary to bring Z
bout the desired results. II we '
through our representatives in Con- ,
ress allow this policy to lapse. or ;
, we allow the amount of insurance
arried to be reduced, we break Z
aith. not only with those who have =
lready given up their lives for their
ountry, but we break faith with the
oung men who will be called upon
n the next war 20 give up their lives, .
nd also do not forget that we break !,
aith with the mothers and wives =
Who Join in the sacrifices which are
made in all wars.
ITO come to a Memorial exercise
Ike this we are attending today, and
MOURN with our lips for our dead |
heroes, and to take no active stems \
o prevent our being draw ninto an [
'ther war savors of short sighted !
less and hypocrisy, and leaves us !
'pen to the suspicion that we are v
more interested in making these GER /
'monies an advertisement for the a
wing than memorial for the dead"
Albert Stetser. president of Levy s
,ourt, in accepting the bridge in the S
Iame OF county, described the strue-