Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-11-11
Another Armistice Day.

Time flies. 1t is twelve years ago
today since the most momentous Cease
Arei" In the history Of war rang across
q score Of battlef1elds--in Europe,
Africa and Ashland brought to a
close the most awful conflict between
nations in human history. THE war
that would end war" was the name
enthusiastically and euphemistically APP
Piled to the Armageddon which plunged
the world in blood and tears between
1914 and 1918.
How overconfldent mankind was that
that tragic experiment in the settlement
by force Of controversies between peo-
pies seems TO be indicated by the pres
ent-hour condition of this troubled
earth, Wherever the eye roams, do
t11estic unrest and international suspi-
cinn rear their ugly heads in more
ominous fashion even than they did in
the years Immediately preceding the
spark Of Serajevo. The continent OF
Europe seethes with explosive possible
les. Alliance again faces alliance.
Balances Of power" once more are the
aims OF n1aneuvering statesmen. Arma-
lnents pile up. Dictators bestride many
thrones. Inflammatory oratory pours In
terTnittently from their truculent lips.
New crises confront many countries
in their purely internal affairs. Rus
sia, with Soviet domination mistaken,
remains an incalculable menace with
her protestations of determination to
foment world revolution" The Com
mlInist hand, directed from Moscow, is
at work in more than one European
land remote from Russia and held to
be the basic cause of local turmoil.
Germany, sane and stolid as the
Fatherland is. rocks with the strife in
cited by Hitler and his so-called Fas-
cists. Sullen India threatens British
imperial dominion in the East. Mos
lem Egypt is astir with resentment of
the yoke which London still hangs
around her neck. South America has
succumbed to an epidemic of revolution
unparalleled in suddenness and extent.
s Such Is the embattled picture Mother
Earth presents this Armistice day. II
speaks much for the future, that mill
tant organizations like the World ALI
ance for international Friendship
Through the Churches should meet in
Washington this week in q spirit Of
invincible faith. This morning the ALI
ance,s annual goodwill congress"
listened to notable address from Presi-
dent Hoover. In harmony with its
hopes, he registered unquenchable trust
that the world, no matter how slowly, is
steadily educating itself to reject con-
dict and embrace Cancellation as the
best method Of composing international
differences.
But Mr.. Hoover strikes a cautious
note and one obviously evoked by the
existing world position as he, from his
eminent watch-tower. is able to en-
yisage it. I'VE as a Nation" the
President reminds us, whose independ-
ence, liberties and securities were born
OF war cannot contend that there never
Is, or never viii be, righteous cause for
war in the world. Nor can we assume
that righteousness has so advanced in
the word that we may yet have COM
plete confidence in the full growth OF
pacific means or rest solely upon the
processes OF peace for defense"
american presidential utterances
upon which the rest Of mankind nova.
days hangs With bated breath. must b.
guarded. Mr. Hoovers Armistice day
address measures up to that demand
But he who, runs may read-as well a.
ne who listened in on it could not fai
70 hear-in today's message from thu
highest seat Of American authority. that
the moment has not yet dawned for re-
lying too Realistically on League cove.
nants, Locarno treaties, renunciation-
of-war pacts, World Courts, or ever
naval limitation agreements.
President Hoover is thoroughly anc
passioE5ately imbued with a desire Il
promote international peace by sucr
tnstrumentalities as these He Is in tune
with the overwhelming mass Of thG
American people in such advocacy. But
he Is in no less accord with preponder.
ant public sentiment when he declares
on this twelfth anniversary Of thu
victory won by our immortal war dead
that "a respectable defensive posture
George Washington's armament creed
Is still, burdensome as it is. America
unacceptable and manifest necessity.