Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-11-11
"Cease Firing"

At IL o'clock in the morning OF NO
vember IL, 1918, there Numbered along
the far-f1ung allied battle line, on land
and sea and in the air, the order which
brought to q close the most terrible
holocaust in human history. cease
firing!" Men knew it not in that hour
Of tragic Joy, for their hearts were
bowed down with contemplation of the
past and concentrated upon the realiza-
ton that it suddenly had passed, like
some narrowing nightmare. Yet "Cease
firing!" had meaning outstripping the
immediate significance of the signal,
beyond any imaginings mankind had.
The armistice's tangible purpose was to
end the World War. It's intangible,
but underlying and overshadowing, OBJ
ject was to end war for the world not
only then, but thenceforward.
These recurring anniversaries of
Armistice day are our annual oppor-
tunities for taking stock of the success
with which the nations are meeting in
the endeavor to abolish war. Never
since November, 1913, were they able to
make that inventory with greater salts
faction. Peace is steadily on the march.
No twelvemonth in all the intervening
eleven years has recorded so substantial
progress toward the appointed objective
The Kellogg pact is the logical conse-
quence Of the armistice we this day
gratefully commemorate. 1t carries
r,.sk In 80 81 -
whole civilized universe has subscribed,
THE big idea" which inspired the Amer
lean doughboy and COB to cross the
Atlantic on fighting business. In SER
RED ranks, they barred their breasts to
the foe not in any vainglorious spirit
Of conquest. but in order that the peo-
pies of the earth should cease firing at
one another in the future, as q means
Of composing international differences.
The sacrifice of American blood and
treasure lover there" meant that, or it
meant nothing.
Statesmen of both hemispheres have
bent their backs and their brains un.
ceaSingly in the decade following the
peace of Versailles to finish the work
the soldiers and sailors Of the allies so
triumphantly inaugurated. Statesman
ship has not ceased firing. It accom-
plished Locarno. It has just achieved O
sane revision OF reparations. It, this
year, evolved the general pact for re-
nunciation of war. 1t is by way of
bringing about new guarantee of peace
through extended limitation Of naval
armament. Craftsmanship failed and
collapsed in 1914. But between 1919
and 1929 It has written o record for
which posterity viii be eternally thank
flil.
ArmiStice day finds us with souls up
lifted by the vision Of q warless world,
yet none Of its anniversaries can ever
discover us unmindful of the deeds of
valor which enable us, instead of our
one-time enemy, to celebrate them in
pride rather than remorse. Armistice
anniversaries should fire us with some
thing more than patriotic emotions
rooted in the past. They should I'LL
us with q fierce determination ever to
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posture" so solemnly recommended by
George Washington in the Farewell Ad-
dress.
Tonight, at the national ceremonies
Of the American Legion in Washington,
President Hoover will deliver message
appropriate to this hour. The COM
mander-in-chief of the Republics armed
forces may be relied upon, If his past
utterances are any criterion, to voice
clearly view to which he frequently
gives expression. It is the doctrine
that, crave the blessings of peace as We
may, the time is not yet here when the
United States can afford to disregard
the admonition of that other engineer
President who was first in peace, first
in war and first in the hearts Of his
countrymen."