y!fw''rr,'vtmvf'r' Wflfl
..,' It
TV
HV '
The Commoner
MAY, 1914
21
.?-
ERRORS OF PEACE AND WAR
People are justified in speaking of
the mistakes of Mr. Wilson's Mexi
can policy, if a mistaken policy is
one which does not go like a bullet
straight to its aim. Delays, disap
pointments, irritations, petty humil
iations at the hands of a Hucrta or
a Villa, injuries wrought to Ameri
can lives and property, have marked
the administration's policy. Instead
of flying straight to its aim it has
fumbled, stumbled, retreated, sought
roundabout ways let us put it as
severely as any critic of the presi
dent may be tempted to. But when
people find themselves chafing at
the delays and setbacks of a policy
which has for its great aim the main
tenance of peace, does it ever occur
to them to compare the tribulations
of a peace policy with the tribula
tions of its alternative a war policy?
For, that matter, in what field of
human endeavor in legislation, in
industry, in scientific research, in lit
erature, in art is there a' line of
progress that marches straight to its
aim, that has not its postponements,
its burning disappointments, its half
successes, its compromises? If peace
between neighboring nations is
worth preserving, if it is worth while
to take measures against plunging
this country into the perilous new
problems that lie in the weeks of a
war of conquest; if to put it speci-fically-i-the
things -that Mr. Wilson
is trying to get are worth striving
for, why dwell upon the mistakes of
a policy which -are infinitesimal in
comparison with the inevitable mis
takes of its only alternative policy?
People who speak so easily of arm-
ed intervention in Mexico must be
wjherishing some such mental picture
pis this: A powerful statesman, who
rhas planned out every move ahead.
I who lias deteranined just how. far .the
war snouia carry mm ana not an
inch further, no matter what
happens; a' Napoleonic commander-
in-chief who has figured out every
battle- and every skirmish and every
life that will be lost, and has deter
mined that the lives lost will be the
exact price for the purpose to be at
tained armies marching smoothly
towards their objective cities and
fortresses falling by schedule; food
and ammunition trains working with
mathematical precision-r-no over
sights', no surprises, no blundering
the triumph of mind over circum
stance. This was the holiday spirit
in which England set out on a few
weeks! drive against the-Boers; this
vwas the spirit of '.vhich the Russian
bureaucracy went to war against
Japan; this, in a fashion, was the
enthusiastic spirit of the north when
it set out to capture Richmond in a
few weeks of fighting. The wars in
which there have been no mistakes
are few or none. Even a Moltke
probably found that things did not
go altogether by schedule.
A statesman leads his country into
war. The die is cast. The nation's
honor is engaged. He blithely sends
forth a couple of divisions on what
lie considers an easy 'undertaking.
'And within two weeks the game may
be out of his hands. The fortnight's
campaign develops into a war of
months and years. Of course, there
is no stopping it. The nation pours
forth its lives and its wealth unhes
itatingly, with a fiercer spirit'of ven
geance and determination as the task
grows more difficult. Already the
price paid surpasses the value of the
object stricken for, surpasses any
thing that the country imagined it
would have to sacrifice. The coun
try may recognize that a mistake has
teen made, rut that will -not alter the
Situation. The issue must be fought
out, even though the object of the
war ha'a been lost sight of. National
honor must be vindicated and what
if mistakes have been made mis
takes which have been paid for in
'jmiKmS
AXpgMHMMIMH
Model 7r-5 I'HMcngcr, f1,iino
Model 7 2 riiHejcer, 91,259
CARTERCARS with the gearless transmission, the cars that climb the steepest grades, will still be the
car for the man who demands service in the year to come.
To the line up of splendid models made by the Cartercar Company has been added Model 7 in both
five and two passenger.
This new Cartercar presents all the qualifications which have made Cartercars so dependable in the past
and at a moderate price. Both touring car and roadster, fully equipped with electric starting and light
ing, gearless transmission, and full list of everything needed to make -motoring a pleasure, and soiling
at only $1250.
Investigate this Model 7 at once at the nearest Cartercar dcalera.
dHM dlfli.
Prices
$1250
lo
$2000
Model 5-A 5 PiiMWcnRcr, 1,700
Moilel n-Il 2 VHHMCttKcr, $1,(100
Do not overlook the style and comfortableness of the Cartercars. Take for instance Model 5-A and 5-B
they always provide room to spare even when you overload them. They are big, powerful, substantial
and satisfying even under adverse conditions.
Then the Colonial models are the best "all season" cars shown anywhere for the money. They not only
have powerful mechanical ability but style and class as well. Ask the nearest Cartercar dealer to show
you the Colonial Model 5-0 and 5D. '
The Cartercar Company
Pontiac, Michigan 4
Brandies at New York, Chicago,
Detroit, Kansas City,
Atlanta
ijrfiSHBBjj
villll
Model K-C 3 PasNcnger, $1,000
Model H-D 5 I'HMHetiKcr, $2,000
fiinnaonric nf lives, in enormous
waste of wealth, in an aftermath of
misery and hatreds and harrassing
internal problems. People reason
that war is war, and there is no in
clination to go into the bookkeeping
of deaths and injuries, widows and
orphans, national debts and crush
ing taxes.
But such is human nature that,
whereas the st .tesman who seeks to
further the interests of the country
by war will not be called to account
for ten thousand deaths, the states
man who seeks to further the inter
ests of his country by the mainte
nance of peace will be scolded and
called to account for every bandit
outrage, for every secret assassina
tion. A statesman may waste a hun
dred millions in a useless war with
out suffering anything like the oppro
brium that falls on the man who
spends a million dollars for peace.
Take war. If a Bulgarian statesman
had stood forth and declared that the
war was not necessary, how savage
ly he would have been criticised for
every mistake in his policy! Every
order incident would have been cited
against him, every move by Greece
and Servia would have been charac
terized as an unbearable affront. So
Bulgaria went to war, and the "mis
takes" of that policy cost her the
greater part of Turkish conquests,
cost her the slaughter of tens of
thousands, cost her untold misery
extending over the years.
There is a' ready answer, of course.
No nation considers any price too
high for the defense of its honor and
its ultimate destiny. But how if a
policy of peace is the policy dictated
by national ; honor and our true
destiny? How many people in this
country desire the over-running of
Mexicc ? On the other hand, how
many people in this country fail to
recognize that war with Mexico would
mean the opening up of vast and
dangerous problems which we are in
no condition to attempt. Yet recog
nizing all this, people chafe because
Mr. Wilson's "mistakes" have cost
admitting that Mr. Wilson is respon
sible the lives of a score of Amert
can citizens and tho loss of some Mil
lions in property. Mr. Wilson, work
ing for a great purpose, Is censured
for "mistakes" that have cost less'
than nations have gladly expended
In a week's campaign against some
petty barbarian chieftain in Africa.
New York Evening Post.
$60 A WEEK and Expenses
I mean It. I want County Kale Manager aolck.
men or women who tellers in the tqaara deal, who will go into partnership with in. flu ex
perience Deeded. My folding Iiath Tub has taken the country (term. Solves the Lathing
problem. No plumbing, no water works' required. Full length bath in any room. Fold in
aoiall roll, handy at an umbrella. 1 1 II 70a it'l great! OK K ATI Jtlrals f 100 Lath room. Now
listen! I want YOU to handle your eonnty. I'll furnish demonstrating tub on liberal plan.
I'm positire absolutely certain you can get biggermoniry in awtck
wilb me than yon eier made in a month before 1 KNOW IT!
Two Smlos m Day $300 a Month
That's what yon should get erery month. Needed In erery heme,
tadly wanted, eagerly bought. Modern bathing, facilities for all the
people. Take Iho order right and left. Quick sale, immense profit,
Look at thece men. Kmltb, Ohio, got J 8 order first week; Meyer,
Wise . 2M profit first month: Ifewton. California. ICO in three day.
Too should do as welL 2 SALES A OAT JIEAWH 0 A MONTH. The
.irotkjTf7 WJ, pleasant, jpermaucnt, fascinating. It mean
" "" "Ntftulaet of joar own.
DEMON
STRATING k TUL
FIRNlSHED
. jgtitJflgiiiiHpp
c -
gJP U0
H.S.ROBINSON
MIMIBKJIT
236 Vanco St., Toledo, 0.
Walkervllle,0nt.,CaBA4a
Utile capital
. jBeMed. I grant ert-
.-" ellt Help you cut
Back roa op Don't doubv-
Dcn't hesitate Don't bold lack
Toa cannot loss. Iff ether men are
wjKjinc Bosses, ban account. o can yea.
mess shuck, zmexb no JSHJJIET. jsk
jttcsy pes card for free tub eer. H UI
I
JSI
(ml
$
I
' i,
'i
'I
j
I
5 V'
' t