Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1925-04-18
WAR AND WOMEN

of the National Society of New Eng
land Women. Rear Admiral flske'
anti-pacifist and advocate OF DIG
rayies and armies. neatly assured
himself of front-page prominence oy
telling the ladies that Requirements
Of their sex seemed to be potion
causes Of war and that by seeking
to outlaw war they are imperiiiins
national security.
Those who blame Eve for handing
the apple to Adam should rise UP
and. endorse the admiral; others may
feel like taking time to think 1t over
Not that we are assured OF agree
ment even if they do. Even men
can't quite come to a common uhoet
standing as to which nation 1t was
thai licked Germany. The latter Is
for sonce right in concluding that II
TOOK all of them to do the job. 1t is
likely to take all Of us of both sexes
IN nut an end to war without at the
same time putting an end to our
progress.
indeed that seems to be what the
admiral was seeking to bring the
minds Of his auditors to by way OIL
conclusion, when he told them the
world will continue to dwell IN the
shallow of war until our modes ot
living are lowered to simpler state;
that men had brought into being
VIRTUALLY all the elements which
constitute civilization" and women
should leave it to them to preserve
it: that armies and navies do not
cause war but protect us from 1t. HE
admits that it may be the plan OF the
Crdator that we should have wars
for; developing the human race. In
short he leaves no one in doubt re-
specting what he is driving at.
Intelligent people will hardly ques-
tioA his attributing to- competition
for. what people regard the fatness
of .earth a powerful cause OF war;
but whether they will likewise agree
with him that this has largely come
abdut because of mans desire to
supply woman with what she wants
NAV be doubted. Surely man is not
unsnindful Of his children in this en-
deayor. not unmindful Of his own
desires for enjoyment, for the respect
or admiration Of his fellows. why
1.,, e All IN tho women?
Il may occur to us that people
miSht well undergo some transfor-
nation Of their ideas Of what consti-
tute the desirable things Of life; that
in SO doing they might come to see
a way to desire many simple pleas
ures which It would be unnecessary
to take from the other fellow or ia
20 to war about. To own more au-
tomobiles than our neighbor, to build
a taller building in the marts OF
trade, to sacrifice Natures handi-
work by submitting it to a manicure
in accord with some individuals
ideas and overlordship. these ought
not to be essential to happiness or to
progress. As for going back to the
simpler life to avoid war, however,
what becomes Of the theory that the
very complexities Of life, multiplying
and interlocking as they are. will
soon render 1t nigh impossible to
find elbow room in which to manipu-
lsts our hellish inventions for war?
Indeed, because civilization had be-
come so unified and interdependent
thu last war almost wrecked it. Any
how, the admiral doubtless chuckled
to himself at the preposterous idea
that the ladies would heed his ad-
vice and 20 back to simpler lives,
pethaps to baking their own bread
and the Monday washings, or further
back to the responsibilities Of keep
ing the cave-man's home comfortable
and attractive. No. we cannot think
Of the admiral admitting even to
himself any such conclusion, SO
perhaps he is right in expecting war.