"WAR MUST BE." Now the war fever has had its run all over the world, in the same fashion as any other sickness, there comes from every corner the cry "let's have peace." People ask for an honest peace, for a lasting peaceyes, for eternal peace. Disarmament is the word in the headlines of the daily pressdisarmament the text of orators from the pulpit, the stage and the soap box. And I say that's all bosh!

What do we want peace for? Eternal peace may be alright for the individual lying in the grave; but above ground, for ever rejuvenescent humanity, it is nonsense. Listen, oh friend, to what I have to tell you; and may it benefit not alone you, but as well all unbelievers in war.

It is an acknowledged fact that there was war in this beautiful world of ours since Cain slew his brother Abel. Adam and Eve at that time came to the conclusion that the other party's educational system was at fault-and when they could not agree which party's war began right there; eternal war.

When that Serb slew Franz Ferdinand and his wife on June 28, 1914, some educational or political system was at fault-no doubt about that!-and because the great world powers couldn't agree which one it was, they fell to blows with little ceremonial of declaring war. Simple!-isn't it? And when you, or I shall have gotten a clear insight into the working of our old worldwar-systems, then we all-even you and Iwill become satisfied that war must be.

That is a good old saying "war must be, because there always was war" (just as good as the legend of "the good old golden times"). Shouldn't that suffice? Shouldn't they convince you as well as other sensible people that you are wrong when you argue in newspapers and magazines, in meetings and on the street corners that we ought to get peace, that we ought to disarm, that we ought to get justice somehow and somewhere, that the political prisoners ought to be set free, that we ought to go back to American standards of freedom of the press, of assembly and speech, and-oh, sancta simplicitas!-that we ought to demand the truth? Can we never get rid of such nonsense?

Here is something worth while thinking about if you would get wise on "peace" and "disarmament." Disarmament might be a good thing for Germany or France. France may soon come to the conclusion that imposed disarmament has given the "Hun" free space to expand his chest and sniff some of true human knowledge. But here in America the talk of disarmament is mere nonsense. For what are our coffers filled with gold, if not to keep up preparedness for war? What do you suppose would be the effect if the order for building that largest war fleet on all the seas were cancelled? Would not immediately hundreds of thousands of workingmen and their families be without bread and near-beer? Would

not the suffering shareholders of our industrial enterprises have to substitute flivvers for their limousines?

It is a wise Providence that brought war into the world; for war is a necessity of civilization and for us poor suckers to declare war against war is blasphemy. We made one grave mistake when we put John Barleycorn on the blink (I hope everybody will admit that much). One of the most prosperous industries and one of the most effective sources of taxes was destroyed.

I hope whoever reads these lines is not as stupid as the fellow I met the other day. Said this dreamer of another world: "If instead of building warships and manufacturing cannons humanity the world over were employed in putting more land under the plow, and in making more efficient plows, in replacing cut-down and burned-down forests, in harnessing waste waterpower, in engaging all those value-producing and labor-saving inventions which are now kept out of use for profiteering reasons, in teachand learning-then we would have no more wars and no more "under-dogs" and no more poor people; would come nearer to the ideal of brotherly love." Such a simpleton!—as if the ideal of humanity could be attained without eternal war. When I remonstrated he agreed that we humans must indeed be eternally occupied with war. "But" said he "war against darkness and closed doors, against the yesterday and yesterday's rotten beliefs, against stupidity and resulting sickness and "crimes," against aggression and arrogance-and most decidedly against our own shortcomings."

AHSAHDT.

DO NOT PATRONIZE OUR ENEMIES. Some months ago the FAMOUS PLAYERS, LASKEY CO., WM. FOX PRODUCTIONS, GOLDWYN PICTURES, and the UNIVERSAL FILM MANUFACTURING CO., attempted to return to the ten hour day in their studios in Los Angeles. Not content with this backward step they declared a reduction of from one to three dollars per day in the wages of all their employees. This affected several hundred building tradesmen who ceased work. The unfair studios are seriously crippled and will speedily abandon their unfair policies if the organized workers will refuse to patronize moving picture houses that produce their films. There should be no difficulty in bringing these concerns to time.

If the bulk of the human race are always to remain as at present, slaves to toil, drudging from early morn to late at night for the bare necessaries, and with all the intellectual and moral deficiencies which this implies, without interest or sentiments as citizens and members of society, I know not what there is that should make any person with any capacity for reason concern himself with the destiny of the human race.-J. S. Mill.