War Preparations and Peace
A sentence from an article that appeared recently on the editorial page of one of the big dailies says that "public opinion is coming to stand for the idea that preparedness in war is the best promoter of peace." And in the same article, Mr. Gatling is quoted as having said that his "guns have saved more lives than they have ever destroyed. The Gatling gun is a peacemaker." These sentiments are worked overtime at present. There is a section of the press that is doing all it can to stir the United States to building greater navies and enlarging its army in order that we may insure peace. The SIGNS OF THE TIMES is not in the statesmanship business, and so can not speak from that standpoint. It may be that wise statesmen ought to announce such sentiments as the foregoing, and insist on having the great navies and the great armies. But if such is the case, why have we been told so many times that we are in the gray dawn of the morning of the millennium, when we are to have universal peace, and when war will be simply ridiculed off the earth? Why is it, if we are in such peaceful times, that it is necessary to build the most powerful and the most destructive navies that have ever been known, and to equip the greatest and most destructive armies of all history? There must be a mistake somewhere about this millennium idea; and after all, is it not wise for us to conclude that the good old book of God is right? For its prophets make it clear, beyond all question, that instead of approaching a time of world-wide peace, we are standing within the shadows of the universal war of Armageddon, that is to mark the very closing hours of this world’s history. Men who become intoxicated with theories can never see facts, for they allow their theories to brush away from their minds the substantial presence of actual realities. Progress in Flying-Machines.—It has been only five or six years that we have had the assured prospects of really successful flying-machines, but these five or six years have been a period of the most marvelous development. Every country is now experimenting with the air-ship and we are getting numerous kinds of them. We have the dirigible, which is something after the fashion of the old balloon with propellers and passenger apparatus attached. Then we have the biplanes, the monoplanes, and the hydroplanes, the hydroplane being a ship that is so constructed that it can both arise from and alight on water. Among the recent achievements in aeronautics we find that a French aviator carried six passengers in his biplane for an hour and a quarter. Another carried a passenger from Bremen, Germany, to London, a distance of about 450 miles. In making this flight he went directly over the city of London, which was contrary to law, and a few days later was haled into court. Another aviator has recently made the third successful air voyage across the Alps. In crossing the Alps he had to make such a high altitude that it became so cold he was almost frozen to death. He had to be helped from his machine when he alighted. Another aviator won the $10,000 prize by flying from Key West to Havana, a distance of about 100 miles. A few days later another aviator made the same flight, in a hydroplane and won the second prize of $5,000. Then we have the German company that is quite successfully conducting a regular passenger line of dirigible air-ships. Something like $250,000 is being offered in prizes for the one who will make the first successful voyage across the Atlantic Ocean in one of these air craft, the London Daily Mail alone offering a prize of $50,000 for this purpose. The Supreme Court of California has decided that laws passed through the use of the initiative and local option are valid; that is, localities have a right to shut out liquor and make their territory dry, or vice versa, if they desire. The State Anti-saloon Conference held June 17 and 18 decided that California pledges its temperance workers to strike and strike hard at America’s greatest curse when all the temperance forces of the nation are ready; but they do not feel that it is wise to press for state prohibition in California at the present time. They feel that they would lose more than they would gain by demanding too much at once, and that the work in California should be prosecuted with great wisdom. Temperance sentiment has grown here till it is politically influential, and yet we are felt to be far behind the average of the nation. While in the country at large more than half of the people live in no-license territory, in California only one quarter of the people enjoy such an experience. The urban population doubtless has something to do with this. California has a large proportional city population. We feel, however, that the action of the conference was wise and right regarding this state. It is said that $50,000,000 of government funds will be deposited in the national banks of the South and West at once by Secretary McAdoo, to facilitate the movement of crops, and anticipate the money stringency which invariably accompanies the marketing and moving of crops, especially when they are large. Federal, state, and municipal bond and prime commercial paper will be accepted as security for the money, on which the banks will pay two per cent interest. One thing which has brought satisfaction in many circles is the establishment of what is called the "National Board of Mediation and Conciliation" by our government, the design of which shall be to help settle the great labor disputes. The government’s attitude, of course, is not one of coercion. It will endeavor to mediate and conciliate, and so secure justice to both parties. How it will work out remains to be seen. The Rev. C. D. Trexler, of Brooklyn, declares with much force that "the real source of vice among young people is in the home." He declares that in the mad rush of the world, parents and children do not get acquainted, there are no confidences between them, and the consequence is that the young are left to choose their own companions. The responsibility rests upon parents. Congressman Heflin is credited with coining the word "suffrotescent," which he applies to the male suffragette, and says it means "wooden-headed." But the "Standard Dictionary" gives "suffrutescent," meaning "having the character of an undershrub; slightly woody at the base." The papal Swiss guards who struck for certain privileges have been refused. Some of the leaders have been expelled from the Vatican. They left singing the "Marseillaise," and shouting, "Viva Garibaldi." It is said that the Russian treaty is held up by President Wilson. He demands that American Jews shall be permitted to enter Russia freely.12Dr. Wells, of Chicago, declares that syphilis, after consumption, is the greatest scourge to the human race. ONE should not give way to a spirit of resentment when made the object of criticism. He should not even feel such a spirit. Even tho the mind of the other man should be captious and his words harsh and unjust, the object of his attack should not become vengeful. The greatest weakness many men have is their inability to profit from their critics, and their determination to regard every word of censure as personal, and the man who utters it, as a knocker. This amounts to a justification of self without investigation. Whatever the source or the purpose of criticism, one should profit from it. It will do no harm for one to put himself on trial, and cross-question himself to ascertain whether there is any fault. To clench the fist, and set the teeth, and talk about bordering on personal perfection, are not so many signs of wisdom. Such conduct paves the way for just criticism, even tho the first was unjust. Why not make an honest examination of self, to ascertain whether there is any fault, instead of going off half cocked, hot-headed, and acting the dunce? Most of us need to restrain ourselves rather than follow our inclination. The chances are that criticism reveals a weakness which should be made strong, perhaps a sinful tendency where reformation should follow. What is true of a man is true of a church. If an outsider charges the church with being unsocial, why should members of the church fire up and talk back? Ninety-nine times out of a hundred the outsider is right. The church should be grateful for having its faults pointed out. If critics charge the church with lacking evangelistic fervor, flying into a passion will only prove the truth of the charge. If one says that the church is indifferent and neglectful in time of sickness or death, there is no advantage in retorting that the plaintiff himself is wholly to blame. The critic may have shortcomings, but that does not excuse the church for being short in its comings. In brief, the church should withhold all censure of the complaint until it itself is performing its full duty; and then there will be very little criticism.—Religious Telescope.