Atwood Hammond High School - Post Yearbook (Atwood, IL)

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THE PEACE MOVEMENT WINIFRED WILSON. '12. In order that we may understand some of the great forces which are bringing more and more before people a movement for a jiermanent world peace, it is necessary to know some of the causes which have led men to bat-lie with each other for so many countless years. War was a normal condition among tribes living upon food produced without effort upon their part; for, as a large amount of land was required for each tribe, their boundaries soon overlapped and they were forced to fight to keep from starving. When they came to find wavs of crossing the barriers of moun tins and bodies of water to new lands, war from lack of sufficient food was in the main part eliminated. Thus we see that the germ of the peace movement is of ancient origin. When the people rose higher in the scale (if civilization, they came to have new desires, and in place of wishing to lead a simple life they wanted something more elaborate. This gave them a feeling of unrest which caused them fought with other countries. Commerce. however, soon furnished an easier method obtaining what they lacked, and. besides having the advantage (if b'dng a less brutal wav, it brought a feeling of dependence into the relations of one country with another. This feeling of international dependence, instead of decreasing is increasing, until now we mav regard 't as one of tin forces that will help us to blot out war in the future. The desire to have one religion overcome all others and ouarrels arising from differences in opinion on relig-'ons ouestions hare caused innumerable. horrible and disastrous wars. Take for instance the Thirtv Years’ war V hen it was finallv ended bv the articles of the Peace of Westnhalia in civilization which had before progressed with such rapidity, had re- ceived a check from which it did not begin to recover for more than a cen tury. Not only had great fields and countless homes been laid waste, but thousands of people had been killed. All science, poetry, painting, sculpture and architecture had been neglected. Many jteople had allowed their children to grow up in absolute ignorance while they were occupied with war. For centuries religious wars were carried on until people were worn out with trying to settle theological disputes by battle. In all places where we find men banded together, even among those of llie lowest stage of civilization, we see that there are leaders in everything. This is true in war. Throughout all these centuries, rulers either good or bad, have led men on to battle. In many cases they used all their influence to bring war about, either to obtain power or riches, or to avenge some personal grudge against private enemies. This has been one of the most horrible causes of war throughout all ages. Baroness Bertha von Suttner in her book, “Lay Down Your Arms,” expresses the wish that a leader could really see what lie was doing when he directed men to battle; for if a prince or king who thirsts for renown and wealth through war, could only stand and look down at the awful heap of mouldering dav which once represented such vast numbers of human beings, and could think how little his desire for power was worth in comparison to the number of lives sacrificed for it, he would swear undying hatred for all that pertains to war. Along with all of these conflicts have been those which were brought about bv some misunderstanding. The Soanish-American war is an example of this. When the Maine was destrov-ed in the harbor of Havana in ISOS, the United States sent out a special

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Post had thrown her and Fred B. together and that their after experience had made them think that theirs would be a combination that would be hard to beat. Now their business positions were similar to High School ones. Fred B. manager and Maude editor. “You know we are having a good time along with business. In the next issue we put in Senator Barber’s last speech in the Halls of Con- gress. Next summer we are goiug abroad.” During the dinner, as Mr. Barber was standing at the head of the table as host and toastmaster, he raised his glass to give a toast, and it slipped to the table with a crash. I awoke with a start at the click of the taxicab door. The chauffeur stood there holding it open, saying “Auditorium Miss, three dollars and fifty-eight cents, please.” THE SENIOR’S LAMENT. ) gee whiz, A written quiz, To make me sorrow greatly. 1 fear O! I'll get zero, For T haven’t studied lately. 'Tis done, I’ve won. Though I had to study ’till half past eight in the morning. JOHN LIVENGOOD. '10.

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commission of men to investigate the matter; hut, though they were not able to place the blame, the people settled it upon the Spaniards and war soon followed. Against all of these causes of war are working many very strong forces which are bringing the movement for peace into great prominence. One of these is the feeling of international dependence due to commerce; another is the better knowledge of one country of another, since the telegraph and steamship have rendered time and distance no hindrance to direct communication. Modern inventions in war ships and guns have made warfare so costly that it leaves great debts upon nations. Take for instance tin modern warship, whose lift of usefulness is only thirteen years, but which costs more than all the grounds and buildings (if Harvard University. Books and lectures put before the people have shown them the real cost of war in the misery-and poverty in the homes where husband, father or son have been killed; and tin great sin in allowing the poor and sick to live in crowded tenements while millions of dollars are used for making machines whose only purpose is to kill the most men in the 'east time. But these forces which I have just mentioned that are working for permanent peace in the future are not so strong as one which owes its development to the expansion of civilization to all parts of the world. Tn the earliest times the tribes lived in a very small portion of the country. As their numbers increased and they came in closer contact with each other they united. This eliminated war to a great extent in their part of the country. Each time the different bands united, the territory over which peace was to extend became larger and lai-ger, until now we have great nations whose millions of people are under the same government. Each time the people united, it looked as if war for them would be blotted out, yet the extensoin of their lands only brought them new trouble. But now when the people have united together as nations, in all parts of the world, we may look forward t(» the end of war. Tartle has : aid, “What characterizes especially our own epoch and differentiates it widely, in a sense, from the entire past, although the laws of history apply to it no less than to its predecessors, is this; that now for the first time in history, the international polity of the great state of civilization, embraces within its purview, not merely a single continent, or two at most, but the whole globe, so that the last stage of evolution of war is at length discovering itself in a vista so dazzling that we can scarcely believe our own eyes; the end of this vista is certainly difficult to obtain, but it is a real end, and no deception this time, and it can no longer move away as we approach it.” The influence of these great forces has resulted in bringing the peace movement before tin minds of the people. This has been shown in many ways. The greatest formal step toward the abolishment of war has been the organization of The Hague Court. The manner bv which peace is secured though it is exactly the same as the manner by which domestic peace in the United States is secured through the system of courts. In 1903 Chile and Argentina settled a serious boundary controversy which might easily have led to war, by arihtration. They agreed to settle in tin future all matters of dispute by arbitration and to reduce their military and naval armaments for a certain length of time. As the sacred guardian of peace between them they erected a statute, “The Christ of the Andes,” on one of the highest peaks of the dividing mountains. We are living in a time where Christianity and the feeling of brotherhood has spread to practically all parts of the world May we not look on the living Christ