Page:Women and war, an appeal to the women of all nations.djvu/12

 10 materials, diabolical catastrophes, which in peace we regard with detestation.

Point out to your children the absurdities of Militarism. How "the battle-field is the stupidest place in the world," on one side a hospital, giving drugs, putting on bandages, performing operations, and on the other, the cannon and bayonet manufacturing fresh wounds!

Teach what arbitration means by giving an example of how parents arbitrate between their children in quarrels.

Tell your children of the success of international arbitration to prevent war during the present century. That during the first ten years, ninety-six treaties were signed between nations; that between Chile and Argentina being the most complete. To commemorate this the mothers of Buenos Ayres subscribed for a huge bronze figure of Christ, twenty-six feet high, standing on a globe of the world, which is held on a lofty shaft. This is placed on a mountain which marks the boundary line between the two countries. At the base is a tablet inscribed with the words: "Sooner shall these mountains crumble into dust, than Argentines and Chilians break the peace to which they have pledged themselves at the feet of Christ the Redeemer." It is said that

Therefore war is good. This is one of the fallacies which the mother must combat. If brave and noble and magnanimous men are produced by war, that is no argument. Famines, fires, flood, railway accident bring out these qualities in some men also! Shall we therefore desire and condone such calamities because they produce such men? The heroes of peace are far more than the heroes of war, though they do not wear their medals on their breasts. Our worst enemies are greed, cruelty, corruption, ignorance, injustice, poverty, anarchism. There is plenty of opportunity for heroism for the boys of the future.