The Lamar register., 1922-04-19

Structlon, that ltS use IN our closely
interdependent present day civilization
jeopardizes the very life of that civil
ization. Every tenet and teaching of
christianity is against it. In the light
of what has occurred since 1914, it
seems to me incredible that any per-
son can approve or defend war as a
method of settling disputes between
races, peoples or nations. Defense of
ourselves and of others attracked ag-
gressively and wantonly may compel
resort to any arms that may be avail
able, but the virtues that may show
themselves in such a defensive war
fare are the product of prior peace
full times, while the vices which be-
come rampant and widespread during
and after it are developed and aggra-
waited by the war itself.
Attempts to render war less cruel
or savage by formulating so called
laws of war" and to provide for its
conduct humanely are simply wasted
efforts. But to formulate and codify
laws, rules and decisions which shall
outlaw and stamp as illegal, aggres-
sive war and declare it to be the chief
of crimes ought not to be a hopeless
endeavor
The people of the world are ready
and eager for the next step in the
slow advance from savagery toward
international civilization. They be-
lieve that the boundless sacrifices and
suiferings of the Great War should
have some milestone of progress in
the moral code of mankind. They want
war unmasked and declared in inter
national law to be what it is in fact.
the supreme enemy Of the human race.
They want the conscience of men
everywhere to think of war not as an
honorable profession, not as the path
to glory and power, but as the arch
of the youth of our race
the master assassin of motherhood and
home. No longer does it have the at
tributes of chavalry, but it is relegat-
ed to chemical laboratories where the
skill of science originates poisonous
gases to destroy the human race, in
the most cowardly manner.
They want war revealed as the par
alysis of production and the suicide
of commerce, the betrayal of brother
hood, the poison in the cup of good
will between the nations of the earth,
the forerunner of pestilence and IA
mine, spreading ruin and desolation
alike upon the victors and vanquish-
ed and crucifying Christ afresh on
every battlefield.
They want war outlawed as a crime
against the law of nations and the
life of humanity.
The nations of the earth should as
semble in conference and adopt a code |
which shall provide:
First: The further use of war as |
an institution for the settlement of |
disputes shall be abolish
ed.
Second: War between nations
shall be declared to be a public crime, !
by the law of nations, the |
same as piracy"
OF course an objection will be rails
ed that "the world is not ready for so |
great a step" That is always the OBJ
lection when remedy to great evil |
is proposed. But for the world to get |
ready. movement must be originat-
ed to bring such relief, and as the
ancient knight Templars organized |
themselves into an order for the pro-
lection of the pilgrims to the Holy
City, so let us, the modern order of |
knight Templars, use our organization
to protect the people of the world |
against the wholesale murders, devas-
tation and crime caused by war be-
tween the nations of the earth. OBJ
stacles will be raised, the effort will |
be characterized as impracticable, ri
dicule will be used and great inter
ests will oppose such project, yet |
let us persevere and establish the il
legality of war, have it declared an
outlaw, end thus score an advance in
civilization which will be in conform
~