Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-08-21
BACKGROUND OF EVENTS
BY PAUL y. COLLINS.

The history of mankind has been the
story of wars, for there has ever been
savagery and injustice to be met and
overcome. Perhaps the oldest war of
record was that Of the five against four
kings OF Israel fighting for power, in
which Lot, who had no part in the
provocation of the hostilities, was cap
tured by one of the kings, and later
rescued by his uncle Abraham. That
was some 5000 years ago. 1t Is not
assumed that previous peoples were less
sanguinary. War then was the only
means of self defense, and he who
would not fight in defense of home,
family and nation was a coward and
deserved no protection from his gov
eminent. And Moses said unto the
children OF Cad and unto the children
of Reuben. Shall your brethren go
to war, and shall We sit here?'" The
pacifist who shirked his duty was
despised, and the Bible makes due
record Of the contempt he deserved In
| accepting the safety of civilized gov
eminent, and Sinking aid to that gov
eminent In danger.
1t is common to look upon modern
wars. with all the improved means of
destruction, as incomparably more ter
rtble than those of ancient DAYS. and
more wars, because of their terror. Yet
when has there been city in modern
times destroyed with such slaughter as
mat OF Titus destruction of Jerusalem
AID. 70. with 100000 killed and l00,-
900 enslaved9
n
Wars terrors will not prevent battles.
Nationai disarmament will not bring
aaiety and peace. 1t was Just that
sort OF defenselessness which brought
tne Fall OF Rome In Gibbons De
cline and Fall of the Roman Empire
the story Is told in a paragraph:
1T Is the Just and important obserya-
tion OF Vegetius." says Gibbon, that
Inc infantry was invariably covered
WIN defensive armor from the founda-
tion or the city to the reign of En-
peror Gratian. The relaxation of dis
cipline and the disuse of exercise
rendered the soldiers less able and less
willing to support the fatigues OF the
service; they complained of the weight
OF the armor, which they seldom wore
ana they successfully obtained the per-
mission OF laying aside both their
culraSses and helmets, The heavy
weapons OF their ancestors. the short
sword and the formidable plum. which
| had subdued the world. insensibly
dropped from their feeble hands AS
| the use Of the shield Is incompatible
with that OF the bow. they reluctantly
marched into the field condemned 10
suffer either the pains of wounds or the
| ignominy of flight. and always disposed
to prefer the more shameful alterna-
| tive.
The cavalry of the Cloths, the Huns
ana the Alani had felt the benefits
| and adopted the use of defensive armor !:
| and as they excelled In the manage
| ment Of missile weapons. they easily
| overwhelmed the naked and trembling
| legionS, whose heads and breasts were
exposed. without defense to the ar
| rows OF the barbarians The
enervated soldiers abandoned their own
| and public defense. and their ptisil-
/ luminous Incidence may be considered
the immediate cause Of the downfall
OF the empire"
IL makes no difference whether the
disarmament Of defense of nation is
! due to the Incidence of the individual
soldiers or to the shortsightedness of
| the government~~-the result Is the same.
There may follow the present treaty
outlaWing war, lessening of the burden
OF great navies, but national defense Is
stu held necessary by President
| Coolidge, and there Is promised no
agreement to sink modern American
battleships while other nations sink
only blue-prints. Though Is nations
agree to keep peace, there will still re-
main the cavalry of the Cloths, the
Huns and the Alani"
tcopyrisht 1aas by Paul v. collinsl