Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1924-08-28
OLD-TIlNE RELIGION
BY BISHOP w. A. GAMBLER


armed expedition. Nevertheless, we now hear
the pitings Of pacifism in the land In so
short time discredit is thus cast upon the
courage and herosm which few years ago
the whole nation acclaimed with honor.
1t is said that the various State Regents
Of the Daughters of the American Revolution
have been warned by the President General
Mrs. William Anthony Wayne Cook, that they
must not permit the various local chapters to
be brought under the influence of the so
called peace societies." whose agents are busy
securing pledges from the youth of the country
to refuse military service if the nation should
be in peril, or suffer from INVASION What
impudence Of pusillanimity is that which
would approach the descendants of those
whose. blood cemented the foundations of this
Republic with the silly sentimentality of
pacifsm! Surely the Daughters of the Ameri-
can Revolution will resent such an approach
reflection upon the valorous deeds of the
brave ancestors Of whom they are the
daughters.
Quite as reprehensible has been the DISPOSE
ton of some - rebuke President Coolidge for
his compliance with the national defense law
of 1920 in approving the observance Of Sep
TENDER II as Defense Day."
With his characteristic courage and common
sense the President has made reilly to sec
rotary of pacifist organization, in wav
that will satisfy all but the senseless senti-
mentaists who follow not the dictates of rea-
son, but the impulses of an unthinking senti-
mentality. He might have used sharper words
in response to the criticism of the pacifists
but he wisely observed the sound maxim that
ut is impossible to overstate the force of an
understatement" The gist of what he said
may be gathered from this extract taken from
his published reply:
Our government is compelled to confront
the realities of the world. One of these is that
international agreement for limitation of
armies mas not been brought into effect That
being the case our laws provide a small per-
manent army, and contemplate its expansion
to meet emergencies should they arise.
Defense day is intended to bring to the
people reminder of their relation to, and
dependence upon, this skeleton defense estab.
llshment, in our country is attacked
There can be no doubt that failure to prepare
Tor the possibility of war at a time when that
possibility was really imminent, resulted in the
un]ustltlabe prolongation of the World war.
10 state this is but to state what everybody
knows.
1t is desirable that both the public officials
VINO would be responsible for the national de-
tense, and the people who would have to make
the sacrifices to maintain it, should know
something of our plans for it. What is pro-
POSED for September II is merely a compl
ance with the purposes of the national defense
law of 1920 1t is not a mobilization and the
people who first attached to it the term 'mobil-
lzation day. and then proceeded to condemn it.
nave been utterly unfair, but they have been
misled.
Profoundly hoping that the outlawing of
war from this world may be ACCOMPLISHED
am yet unable to detect any inconsistency in
giving my approval to the program of De-
Tense day.
i wish crime might be abolished but
would not therefore abolish courts and police
protection. | wish war might be made i'm
possible; but | would not leave nv country
unprotected meanwhile. The defense test
seems to me means to assure the fullest eff
hc1ency to the extremely modest defense force
our country maintains"
What sensible and patriotic man will take
exception to that straightforward and reason
able reilly to the apostles of pacifism?
DO they wish a pusillanimous peace that
would be worse than war? Do they wish to
surrender the world to the rule Of aggressive
Wlckedness? Is peace more precious than
righteousness? Is not liberty better than life?
In closing these reflections it is not alto
gether foreign to the subject discussed to sug-
gest that our country is over-supplied Just
now with all sorts Of meddesome societies
and superfluous secretaries, sustained by funds
1nVeigled from good people by specious appeals
to their benevolence
needless and costly bodies and high.salaried
secretaries is overdue. They will demobilize
when contributions cease