The Lexington advertiser. [volume] (Lexington, Miss.) 1904-1985, 1947-04-17
Lexington Rotary
Celebrates Army Week

IN a program arranged by Colon
Ell Joseph E. Berman. hcairman of
the program committee for April,
tWho is president of the Department
OF Mississippi Reserve Officers As
ISOLATION of the United States) but
his unavoidable absence present.
ed by Eugene Herman, Colonel Har-
wood c. Bowman, Commanding
Mississippi Military District, address
sed the club most ably and inter-
estingly. He is a long time student
OF Military History and gave a nee
essarily brief review of his inescap-
able conclusions. In early Christian
times most wars were Religious
wars. They were finally stopped by
the treaty of Westphalia in 1853,
leaders of religions having found
that their doctrinal differences could
be composed and there have been no
religious wars since. He thinks that
ALL causes of wars can be simil-
arly r~econciled. He thinks that edu-
cation for the little people, the CO.
mmon man" is the answer. CAS- a
passing comment it may be remark
ed that education may stop wars but
since WE are already educated to
the point where we decidedly do not
want to go to war, the education"
| must be carried to the Hun and the
Slav and the Jap until they too are
finally cured of desire for conquest.
Meantime our own education should
be devoted t oadequate and Instant
ly readiness for self defense. Colon
ell Bowman pointed out that there
is now a conflict between the ideas
of an all powerful state, which the
people must serve without question,
and a state securing its just powers
from the consent of the individuals
who control the state and whom
the state must serve. That ideal will
win which can conceive the little
man that it has most to offer him.
Thus the Communist State, controll-
ed by one man who has control Of
the armed forces and the secret pol
ice telling the little man what he
mar do and eat and think: Advocat-
ing forcible revolution throughout
the world; is opposed to the ideals
of a state subservient to the indivi-
duals and serving them through their
own freely chosen and often changed
officials; individuals with dignity,
freedom of thought and action; not
restricted unless he interfere with
the property of peace of his neigh
bors. Political philosophy is freedom
and dignity for the Individual. If we
sell democracy we must make the
little peoples understand, meet them
on their own level, give them hope
in democracy as we know it. Some
thing else the Colonel made plain;--
Treaties are as strong and no strong
er than, the force behind them. War
is a calamity to victor as well as van-
quished. (As to that we might pause
to think how the Germans would
have considered the last war if they
had been victors). The Colonel did
not mention it, but our military
thorities seem agreed that it would
take us two years to prepare for
war to an extent that would approx
innate our power at the close Of
World War II.
Guests of the Rotary Club were
Billy Zeigler, recently of the Mar
ines, captured on Corregidor, Beau
mont Rutledge, of the 3rd Army and
participant in the march across Eur
ope after the Normandy landing.
The members stood as these gallant
soldiers were introduced.