Militarist theories predicate winning one’s wars. No nation won
the last war. France is less secure than in 1914; England is less
prosperous. All the “victor” nations are staggering under taxes and
armaments; and there are the multitudinous dead.
Herbert Hoover at Los Angeles on Armistice Day declared that another
great war would be the “cemetery of civilization.” Winston Churchill
describes it as the “general doom.” His article entitled “Shall We
Commit Suicide?” should be widely read.
A war of airplanes, poison gas, and hate――a baby killers’ war――the
women conscripted and exterminated with the men――a city wiped out
at a time――America’s cities almost as vulnerable as Europe’s, now
that airships and submarines carry planes――such a war would surely
be the twilight of the white civilization. We should perish as other
civilizations in the brief span of human history have perished before
us.
Consequently, while war is threatening from every quarter, preparedness
for war offers no hope to any nation――not even the hope of victory.
Increasing preparedness can only hasten the “general doom.” Our sole
hope of survival lies in preparing adequately and intelligently for
peace.