Newspapers / Elon University Student Newspaper / April 19, 1912, edition 1 / Page 3
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April 19, 1912. T^t: OSLlEflE WEEKLY. S THE WEEKLY UISFCTOBt BnrUttC^n (N. C.) Business B.ouseB. Biijr Good* from B. A. Sellars & Sons Bee BBrlia^tom Haidwars Co. for Pliimb- ing. B. A. Stllars & Son* for Clothing and Uents’ Furuisliings. See Dr. Morrow when in need of Dental Work. hailier Shop, Brannoek & Matkins. L»r. J. II. Brooks, Dental Surgeon. 8ee Kieoman Drug Co. for Drugs. fc!ee Holt-Cales Company for shoes. ; t e Mjrrow, tiasin and Green for millme- ry goods. B. Goodman, the Home of good clothing. Elon College, N C. for an Education go to Klon (’ollege, Gibsonville, N. C. Dr. G. E. Jordan, M. D. High Point, N. C. I'toi'le’s House Furnishing Co Uieensboio, N. C. ilotel ilufTiiij. ( harles A. Hines, .attorney. Tlie American Cafe. Vanstory Clothing Company. Mr. J. G. Truitt spoke very strong and forceful, but was not (juite at his best on this occasion, had he been, perhaps tliere would have been a different decis ion. All the orati(ms showed e.vi'ellent work and were well delivered. The w'inner of the medal should only feel the more proud of his victory by realizing that he won over five other excellent speakers who were close comi)etitors. The judges were Professors \V. Lawrence. N. F. Brannoek^ and Dr. J. 0. Atkinson. After they had rendere.d their decision we were much pleased and entertained hy the fa vorable and encouraging talks from each. W. L. Anderson. THE DYING DRAGON. (Delivered by Mr. E. L. Daughtry at the Preliminary Peace Contest recently held in the ('ollege Chapel). There was a time when the advocate of international peace was considered a dreamer of idle dreams, and a servant of evasive fancy. The fact that the people of the past never thought world-wide ]>eace possible is why the dragon of war has held man so long in his cruel clutch es ; for as men think, so they act. But we of today—and 1 say it with joy and pride—live in an age when this dream of those idealists of the past is about to come true. Man now lives on a higher plane of thought and ci\ilization than ever before. The spirit of the Nazarene has made the hearts of men purer and kinder, and they realize as never before that the welfare of each individual con tributes to the common good of all. No lonser do men see no possible escape froni tl-e evils and the horrors of war. No 1 inger do men see the greatest honor and the highest glory at the end of a pathway marked by bloodshed and the whitening bones of slaughtered men. A new day is dawning in the eastern sky of future history, and its bright beams of hope are beginning to shed abroad the light of peace and good will upon the children of men. Perhaps you say that I am indulging in a day dream myself, but let us see. Olance backward, if you will, and learn "the lesson which history has to teach concerning the growth of the peace spir it among men. Among all primitive people force was lord and master. Every man went armed for i>ersonal protection, considering as enemies all persons to whom he was not Loand by ties of kinship or of interest. A man of that age reckoned his courage Ly the number of men that he had slain. The gurgle of blood, as it rushed from the body of the dying foe, sounded sweet er to liim than dues the silvery ripple of a crystal stream to some wearied and thirsty traxeler of today. As time passed and larger groups of men were joined into the trite and then into the nation, the fighting spirit still prevailed. Man’s only glory was on the gory field, his only sa- lisf;'.ctit>n in taking aw'ay the possessions of others. Upon the spoils of the weak the strong i.ecame stronger. The con- (jr.ered peop.le toiled in slavery, dined with hunger, and Kept house with misery until a merciful death relieved them. In early modern times did these terrible con ditions stdl e.xist. although shorn of some (if their most inhuman cruelties. Nations knew no international law. The sword settled all disputes, basing such settle ment upm the logical conclusion that the dead dispute not. In'deed, superior strength was often thought a just cause for the beginning of war. and even as late as the eighteenth century one nation had few scruples when it came to preying ui on the commerce of another. Todav these relics of barbarism are known only in the memories of the past. We now haxe a system of international law which recognizes the rights of all na tions. graraiiteeiug to every ship that ))loushs the blue and briny deep the as- s ranee of safety from robt ery. At the present time we have more advocates of int;mational peace than ever before, we have many aaencies at work in behalf of peace, and we have settled many points in dispute between nations without a re sort to arms. Is there one amimg you who will face these tacts and declare ^'>at the j.eace spirit has not been growing in the hearts of men? If we but consider the nature of war, we can easily see why the peace idea is so prevalent at this time. War interferes with the commerce of the world, breaks into the life of cultured, civilized man and robs him of his comforts and happi ness. Do you marvel that the desire for ]>eace has grown stronger with the pass ing years? When men beheld their fi"lds desolate, their towns in ruins, and only rshen heaps where once were happy homes, they could not dispel the hope that these things might not be again. When the wail of widows and the cry of orphans ascen'ded to the heavens, the noble heart must need be sad. Men of all ages have considered war an evil; but the greater part of this evil they intended to bring upon the heads of others, themselves hop- insr to gain vast treasures by taking the posessions of their vanquished foe. To day men are seeking a means of avoiding war and its evils—and they will not seek in vain. At this point we might with profit turn our attention to the practical consequen ces of war. Here, as in all things, we must count the cost. This cost may be spoken as five-fold, viz; in men, in mon ey, in the destruction of property, iii pensions and interest on war debts and in the loss to trade caused by economic dis turbances. Take, for example, our late Civil War. A brief summary of the cost of that fra ternal conflict will suffice to show you something of war’s destructive nature. These are the facts: A death toll of 1,- 000,000 men; a direct money cost of $8,- 000.000,000; a destruction of profierty so great that a correct estimate of its value can never be made; a pension bill of more than .$2,500,000,000 for the four and one- half decades since the war; and for the same period an interest account of more than $2.00i),000.000 on public debt, caused mainlv by war. Add to this the econom ic losses, the sufferings and the heart aches of our people, and you will then have a sum total of what that struggle cost US. During the last eight years our army and navy appropriations have increased enormously. Of our national revenue for the fiscal year 1910 we spent seventy ])er cent, in preparing for war and on ac count of past wars, leaving only thirty percent, for other governmental expendi tures. This fact, to me, is appalling. Oth er nations are spending even more than we. I do not favor the complete and im- meditafe disarmament of the nations, but I declare that it is now high time for the thinking people of the world to come to the support of those peace advocates who are demanding a reduction in such needless war e.xpenditures, for such a pol icy'. if continued, w'ill bankrupt the na tions. As an excu.se for this foolish pol icy, we are told that we must prepare for war in time of peace. Yet. my friends, there never as a statement more false. “As you sow, so shall you reap,” is an unchangeable law of nature. As well might our farmers expect to garner in a harvest of wheat from a sowing of to bacco seed, as for the nations to expect international peace to come through pre paring for war. But happily, the people are beginning to see their folly. They will not continue to be led by deluding mili tarism, but with a last grand Htey will break the weakening clutches of tne dragon that has held them servile so long. Already the means of escape from war are at hand. International law and ar bitration tiave gained rapidly during the last quarter century. Questions of honor, for instance, the Alabama claims and the Venezuela controversy, have been settled without resort to arms. Our recent trea ty with England practically make war ! etween the United States and that coun try impossible. Yet we must not expect a perfect system of international law to spring into immediate being, it must have lime to grow; and just as civil law de- velo'.ed from customs in the past, so will a code of international law grow up. To pdministcr this international law, we mrst l ave a permanent court compos ed of professional ju'dses, these judges to t e chosen from among a number of men nominated by the nations. Towards this end the Hague Conferences have been workins. The First Hague Conference created a permanent panel of judges, and from these disputing nations can choose ,iud!>’es to form a temporary court to set tle the controversy between them. The ‘^eco’id Hague Conference established an international Prize Court, to which 34 na- t'ons have pledged themselves. It also took steps toward.? establishing a perma- WHEN IN GREENSBORO VISIT THE AMERICAN CATE The Home of Good Things to Eat “Home-Like" Cooking. J. N. Coe, Manager. 350 S. Elm St.—Half block from Station, Elegant Rooms, 50 cents and Up. HOTti. HUFFINE Near Fass'^nger Station Greensboro* N. C. Rates $2 up. Cafe in connection. CATX ON Bulirngton Hardware Ccmpany For First Cliss Plumbing, Buildors Hardware, Farm Implements. Faints, Etc., Etc. BURLINGTON, N. C. nent court of arbitral justice. Therefore, the history of the peace movement re veals the fact that, just as national courts developed from private arbitration, the in ternational court is developing from pub lic arbitration. The national court tri umphed in its struggle wilh private self-re, dress, and unless history proves false, the international court will come out victo rious from the contest which is now on. Yet difficulties are still blocking the ad vance of international peace. There is a battle to fight and a victory to win. Our people must be trained and educated to think not of war as the only means of settling national disputes. In the culti vation of right thought and sentiment in regard to the peace movement there is a work to be done—a work for the church, a work for the home, and a work for you and me. Commerce and the many complex asociations of the modern world have brought men together, made them more patient and forbearing and caused them to recognize the universal kinship as never before. Let us place confidence in the justice of nations and go forth with,— “A song of faith that trusts the end To match the good begun. Nor doubt the power of Love to blend The hearts of men as one.” We, of the United States, have led the world in an organized effort for peace. To such an extent is this true that Euro peans have spoken of arbitration as the “American Way.” Let us not now lag behind in the peace movement. Let us redouble our efforts in behalf of univer sal peace until our own honored flag shall he, to every beholding eye, an emblem of “Peace on earth, good will towards men.’’ There will be those to discredit and to criticize; but may we ever have a willing heart and a ready hand with which we may deal death blows to the common en emy of man. Let faith and courage “Still keep the path which duty bids us tread, Though worldly wisdom shake the cau tious head; No truth from heaven descends upon our sphere, Without the greeting of the sceptic’s sneer; Denied and mocked at, till its blessings fall. Common as sunshine and dew over all.” P '
Elon University Student Newspaper
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April 19, 1912, edition 1
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