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AN APPEAL FOR PEACE BY THE UNIVERSAL PEACE UNION OF AMERICAAuthor(s): ALFRED H. LOVESource: Advocate of Peace (1847-1884), New Series, Vol. 2, No. 24 (DECEMBER 15, 1870), pp.316-317Published by: World Affairs InstituteStable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/27904863 .

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gl6 THE ADVO?ATE OF PEA?E. Dec, 1870.

AUGUST, 1870.

Oh, there is bitter w?eping in ten thousand homes to-day, For father, husband, brother, in the battle far away : And anxious hearts are breaking with a grief too deep for

tears, And the daughter and the wife dare not syllable their fears.

The vintage is ungathered, unsickled is the corn : The garden-plot unweeded, and the village-green forlorn : A chair is empty, and the child for *' father

" asks in vain ; " Where, mother, is he gone, and when will he come back

again ? "

60, sleep, dear child, and ask no more ; sleep thy hot tears

away, Thou hast no father now, although thou hadst one yesterday :

To-day he lies a gory corpse, upon the plain afar, Another victim to the curse of wild and ruthless war.

God help thee, lonely widow, and thy little starvelings bless, Un shepherd ed in this bleak world, exposed and fatherless ; And thee, fair daughter, specially, God keep thee from all

harm, Protected now no longer by a father's sheltering arm.

Ah, thou wilt see strange sights anon, thou placid harvest moon,

S?d contrast to the promise of the bright and verdant June : The flaming hamlet, the* red stream, the bloody, trampled

plain : The only harvest, sheaves of maimed, and heap?d swaths of

slain.

And this is glory ! Oh, the word, how mockingly it rings ! 'Tis ruinous to kingdoms, whatever it mean to kings :

War is a game that princes seem to love to play at still, But, never let it be forgot, the peasant pays the bill. !

Oh, loving, pitying God, look down, in mercy interpose, And separate these maddened hosts, arrayed as hostile foes :

Return, oh Prince of Peace, return, bid war and discord cease,

And weld the human family in brotherhood and peace. S. W. P.

[The above beautiful poem forms a portion of the Illustrated

Ely-Leaf No. 41, published by S. W. Partridge, 9 Paternoster Row, E.C. (price 2s. 6d. per 100). The initials "S. W. P." are well known as those of Mr. Partridge, who is a poet (of no mean order) as well as publisher. His work entitled 14

Upward and Onward" forms a volume of excellent counsel which is

admirably suited for youths leaving school, and, indeed, for

young persons in general.] Herald of Peace, London.

A PEACE ARGUMENT.

?Communicated by Howard Malcom, President of the American

eace Society.]

The following extract from an appeal by the people of "The Arondisment ot Brily,* in France is but a reiteration of a peace argument, produced by every war :

" Our houses and barns are burned. Our horses, cattle, sheep and swine, have been taken from us. Our laborers are either impressed into our army, or taken by the Germans for teamsters. We have neither beasts to till our land, nor seed for next year's harvest. Starvation stares us in the face."

And this but one small district of the theatre of the existing war! The'accounts from'all quarters are gloomy and fearful. We extract the following; *? The condition of financial affairs in

Europe and their prob

able future if the war is of long duration are the topics of earn est discussion in financial circles. Two millions of soldiers in the field and in reserve in France and Prussia are a cancer on the prosperity of both nations. The expense of keeping them and supplying the munitions of war is more than either nation can sustain for any length of time. Modern wars are a ques tion of cash. France and Prussia are already burdened with taxation to their utmost capacity to bear. The masses in both

France and Germany have just enough to keep soul and body

together. They enjoy none of the physical or intellectual lux uries of life. They have not the means to migrate if they wanted. Their surplus money or the proceeds of their labor are taken from them without their consent by the civilized and

Christian form of slavery embodied in the * high-art swindling'

of national debts and ruinous taxation imposed upon the peo ple of Europe without their consent. They are created and die under the present system, mere slaves, to work out the

payments of debts imposed upon them by rulers long since dead, whose usufruct in this earth, according to the natural and arti ficial law, equity and common sense, died with them, as in the case of all dead men. No single father possesses the right to fasten debts on his sons. How, then, can collective millions of fathers claim the right? The descendants of these rulers are now adding enormously to these national debts and taxes by this present war.

?* The Scotch Herring Fisher}'has been completely ruined by the blockade of the German ports. In 1869 the ports of Stet

tin, Harburg, Dantzic, Konigsburg, Geestemunde, Hamburg and Bremen bought five hundred thousand barrels of Scotch

herrings, and this year not a single fish has been ordered from these places. Bv the effects of the blockade 5,000 fishing boats are idle and 20,000 fishermen are out of employment. In addi tion the fisheries gave work to 1,790 coopers, 1,000 fish curers, and 42,434 laborers engaged in packing and salting, so that

65,224 men directly interested in the fisheries have been de

prived of their daily bread. Among those indirectly interested

it is stated that 1,160 seamen, and vessels measuring 15,229 tons were engaged in importing stavewood and hoops, and 1,718 seamen, and vessels of an aggregate of 20,813 tons were en

gaged in importing salt for the fisheries. The avocations of all these working people have been destroyed by the war."

AN APPEAL FOR PEACE BY THE UNIVERSAL PEACE UNION OF AMERICA.

Indifference is impossible. The magnitude of the interests involved in the present war in Europe?the most causeless of all wars, arrests attention.

Thousands of hearts are in agony. What voice can be heard ? What appeal will be heeded? Weakness and pride, and want of moral courage, have brought

sufferings Crying aloud for repentance and relief. For our

selves, we feel our own want of strength. Can we reach a

single ear, or heal a wounded civilization and Christianity? Three thousand miles cannot cancel our obligations. Moved by sympathy and love for all, irrespective of geo

graphical limits, or questions of aggression or defence, of re

proach or justification, we simply, but ardently, appeal to those in power, to a common humanity, to professors of religion, irrespective of name, to wise statesmanship, to apply that law

which is understood by every conscience?** Do unto others as

you would have them do unto you." The spectacle of populous and splendid cities in a state of

siege, and theories of distressed thousands, fill us with anguish. The labor of years and the magnificent works of art, undergoing ruthless destruction, in time may be replaced ; but there are human beings, whose groans are not heard, now starving and

exposed, in abject suffering for the common necessaries of life, shut up in Paris and other cities, and they demand immediate relief.

We appeal to Prussia, in the flush of what the world calls

victory, a nation professing Christianity, to practise now the

oft-repeated and church-lauded injunction ? *'

If thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink," and reject a custom so monstrously inconsistent, to starve out the enemy and cut off his supply of water.

We are neither unmindful of the manner in which you have been assailed, nor without comprehension of the difficulties sur

rounding your Bismarck in negotiating for peace, and are not

willing to suppose that he and your whole country do not de sire an early settlement ; but we fervently entreat, be merciful with the fallen ; they are your brothers ? imagine your situa tions reversed ?negotiate with every representative hav n*

any reasonable authority, and thus prove your sincerity for end

ing this terrible destruction. We feel assured that in this way

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Dec, 1870. THE ADVOCATE OF PEACE. 317

opportunities will offer for honorable adjustment, and those sure guarantees of peace

? Freedom, Equal Rights, Justice,

Inviolability of Human Life and Brotherly Love will be pro moted.

No one can expect

to escape retribution for wrong doing, and for all who take up the sword, there is a heavy penalty ; and although you exact and receive territorial or revenue con cessions and compensations, you cannot escape the responsi bility.

We appeal to France, to every one with any semblance of

authority, to accept a situation the natural consequence of war?if not on one side certainly on the other. Had you been

victorious, you would, perhaps, have ac?ed not very different from your neighbors.

Heed the thousands whose lives have been cast in humble

places, and who are the real sufferers! The mothers, the

wives, and children, composing more than half of creation, who do not make the wars, whose bands are tied, and whose suffer

ings in indescribable ways, are unheard and unheeded. Do not sacrifice that peaceful army of workingmen, the grand pillars of a nation's prosperity. Think of all, even if poor, who have an

equal right to life and all its opportunities, as any who may be in power. Think, too, of laying waste what our Heavenly Fa ther

has^ permitted to grow. * You are devout in your prayers :

*' Give us this day our daily bread," and afterrain and sunshine

Lave done their marvellous work, you burn and destroy whole harvests of bounty, and then ask for more.

Should our fields cease to yield, and gaunt famine follow such

hypocrisy and wanton profligacy, can we say such is not our due ?

We appeal to you, therefore, to do your part to stop this hor rid work. Your position is understood, your changed circum stances will not be disregarded by the world ; and by a frank

acknowledgment, ignoring vain and false pride, be brave

enough to live for your country, and with manliness crowned with Christian humility, throw yourselves upon the mercy of

your brother man. No one doubts your valor and love of coun

try. Do not expend recuperative strength ! ?

There is a cour

age grander than phvMcal resistance ! A surrender for human

ity is 'a victory for conscience and civilization. There is no dishonor when we honor God and the works of his creation !

We appeal to every nation to use kindly influences of inter vention for the adjustment of difficulties. Bring the sorrowful condition of so large a portion of the human family to your own doors and feel "

in bonds as bound with them." Be open to conviction and learn the unerring lesson of the hour, that

standing armies are standing reproaches, making war imminent and peace impossible, and redeem this blight of the 19th cen

tury of our boastful civilization and professed Christianity by an immediate and unconditional disarmament.

*' Let the oppressed go free ! " Let the people choose their own governments. Be not jealous of power

or of holding on to customs and forms, merely because tney are sanctioned by antiquity or authority ; for it may be, and it undoubtedly should be, that the experience of the

past and the tortures of the

pres ent, will open to ue higher and nobler positions, both in private and public affairs. If there cannot be a growth now, when can it ever be expected ?

We appeal to all mankind to relieve present suffering, and

tf\adopt such principles

as shall tend to preclude a repetition of these horrible atrocities and this mistaken patriotism. It can be done by putting love and reason in the place of hate and armies ? by discountenancing military trainings and orga nizations, and by each one refusing to do the war act, or pay ing a farthing for war purposes. Woman's influence is needed in the crisis. Let the power and wisdom with which she leads the child and makes the home our ideal of peace, permeate governments and revolutionize armies.

Surely it is time to inaugurate a new system for the settlement of national and international difficulties, if not to obviate them

altogether. There can be no kind, unselfish and reciprocal de liberation while fortifications frown with cannon, and the drawn sword is at hand. The "

might makes right "

doctrine must be

transposed to-?right makes might?and being right?Mor ally Rignt?there is victory without the shedding of a drop of blood, or the humiliation or abandonment of a single principle.

On behalf of the Universal Peace Union of America. ALFRED t?. LOVE, President,

CAN ANY THING BE DONE ? No. 2.

by l. r. 8 . .

Why not? Suppose your house was on fire? Would you be long in doing something? Suppose your child sickens, your life is in danger would you stop to reason the case and in

despair say, can any thing be done? The very instincts of na ture would start for something. You might not bit on the

right thing but you would try something. And have you a heart to see the desolating scourges of war and do nothing? Do something. Try.

If nothing else, wake up, listen, read, think. Open your eyes. See. We do not wish to scold you to it. But we do wish to have you wake to the evil. We are determined you shall. Why, look at France. Look at murderous Prussia. Look at the graves of our own slaughtered sons all over our

country. We say, look at them. Look at the desolate homes.

Look, until the fire burns within you. Look at the future. What guarantees have we for the fu

ture. After such shocking barbarities among the most civilized nations on earth, what guarantees for the future as things now are. Why, we should start bick with horror. Of what use to set out trees, erect palaces, educate our eons and daughters.

Awake. Open the eye. Look. See the desolations, barbari ties of war.

Talk. Use the pen, write. If it be but a letter to a living sister. Ask if something cannot be done. Let mothers talk, fathers talk, sisters talk and write too. One of the foremost in the cause is so, because grandpa talked to everybody in hie

hearing fifty years ago. The boy heard then. Now he works.

Grandpa did not think what he was doing for the peace of the world. Again we say, talk, write.

Contrive. We have not forgotten the good deacon who when a'ked how he was goinj? to do a thing, said,

'? I don't know,* but I can contrive." Yankee boys and Yankee girls, Yankee men and Yankee women are all over the land, stir them up. Let each contrive and tell others. Can no one contrive what to do ? Stop learning war. Go to learning peace. Study up the case. Just as if the most learned nations in the world can not tell how to stop quarrelling. Let the whole become a na tion's theme, a world's talk.

Next, memorialize Congress. We need action in our Eccle siastical bodies, in our State legislatures, our colleges and

schools, in our churches. We need action, special action in our National Congress. More, other nations must act. As a con

sequence, the Peace Societies of other lands must see that pe titions go from the people among whom they dwell, to the

higher powers. Let the people in all parts of the world wake

up to this, and will nothing be done? Can nothing be done? Let the "

powers that be" in this land arrange with other

powers. Do you ask how? In many ways. In the present stage of affaire, we make no details. Let the wisdom of our Statesmen do this. A pressure can be made upon them, so as to oblige them to do it. We have seen the energies of a na tion's Congress concentred on one thing, and the glorious results. Why not thus secure a congress of nations, a court of

arbitration, mediation or reference ? Next, comes in the idea of disarmament. This some would

have placed first. It certainly is the object to keep in sight. Other things are

subsidiary to this* But whatever God putt in

the mind, that seek for if it pertains

to peace among nations. It is not to be supposed all will look from the same stand-point, or hit on the same ideas, or use the same

phraseology. But in

a free country, each can petition for what ends in learning war no more.

Last not least, last in order but first in importance, implore the Prince of Peace for His benediction. Without Him, we can do nothing. With Him strengthening and guiding, we we may hope

for much. Why cannot this question be met as well as others? It may be. Try. Faint not. Peace will

prevail under the reign of the Prince of Peace. Men shall

learn war no more.

Lord Clarendon says, " We cannot make a more lively

representation and emblem to ourselves of hell, than by the view of a kingdom in war."

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