San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-10-14
Good Will Among Nations
Only Cure for War;
World Has Not Reached
That Ideal Yet-Declares
Military Training Has
Many Beneficial Aspects.

The national defense plan as adopt
cd by Congress in 1920 and approved
in 1921 was named as the principal
highway of peace by Rev. Herbert
Spencer johnson. u. d.. in delivering
an address at Philadelphia before a
meeting Of the Federation of Churches
of America on the subject, The Three
Highways of Peace"
For 20 years, DIR. johnson was pas
tor of the Warren Avenue Baptist
church of Boston and during the
World War served az a Red Cross Of
fetal in France. After the war he be-
came the Red Cross commissioner in
Czechoslovakia. After returning to
this country he attended the Army
War College and summer training
camps and won his commission in the
Organized Reserve Corps He now
holds the rank of major in that branch
Of the army.
The gospel of goodwill. considera-
ton of such expedients as may be pro-
posed looking to some form of coop
Grafton among nations for the proven
ton of war. and the national defense
plan. We're named by DIR. Johnson as
the three highways of peace. The ma
tiOnal defense plan, he believes. is the
safest highway of peace. as he claims
the best way TO prevent war Is TO pre-
pare for it. He states that this plan
will not develop a militaristic spirit in
the army or in the country as n whole,
as the plan itself and the future of
the regular army are entirely under
the control of a congress of civilians
and of civilian Secretary of War
who are responsible TO a people who
are intensely anti-miitaristic. The by
products that the nation gains rs n
result of this plan in the way. of the
training of the youth in sanitation.
athletics. patriotism. democracy and
religion were also mentioned by DR..
johnson in his address.
Italy Greece Affair.
DIR. johnson said that goodwill
ameng nations is the only hope for
permanent peace. but right now no
such attitude among nations is in
sight. As for the consideration of
eXpedicntS lending toward the end of
war he said let US value them but not
place our entire dependence on them.
citing as an example of the failure of
expedients the recent failure of the
League of Nations TO settle the Italy
Greece affair.
Let me say in the beginning" DR..
johnson said. that as minister of
the gospel, | am naturally preds-
posed 10 be sympathetic with the paci
iistic position. As | love peace. /
hate war. and holding this attitude ]
am in a position to feel the full force
OF the alluring pacifistic propaganda.
should like to be pacifist. and we
should alr be pacifists. il only the
promises Of pacifism could be realized.
81 am compelled to reject pacifiSm
because It's alluring promises are inn
possible, and because it confuses the
issues rs To war, offering alternatives
TO the American people which do not
III fact exist. The real issue is not be-
tween war and peace. II is between
war with preparedness and war with
out preparedness. oil, The real issue is
not between foolish and wasteful cx-
penditures of money for war as
against wise and noble expenditures
for the purpose of peace. II is be-
tween wasteful expenditures for the
waging of war MS against scientific
and economical expenditures for the
same purpose. 1t is between the crimi-
hal. wasting IN. the time of war of
tens of thousands of American lives on
the one hand and the saving of the
same lives To careers of usefulness and
happiness on the other hand.
War Is Normal Conduct.
War is fact. 1t is the fatal weak
ness OF pacifiSm that it does not rrcog-
nize that fact. War is as normal as
cheating. stealing. murder. lying. adul-
tCry ana the other sins. for it springs
rom the same source. the selfishnpss
OF human nature. Consequently. the
tendency, toward war is likely to per-
s!St Z" long as the tendency toward
other sins continues. or in other
words. until human nature itself is
changed
The option fiat war can moi no e.
easily eI'..icated as the pacifist pro.
fesses TO believe is confirmed hy ~,