Chicago Tribune
CARTER DISSENTS TO JANE
ADDAMS’ VIEWS ON WAR.
Justice Is Applauded in Evanston for "Break" with Friend.
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A defense of the patriotism of pacifists was made yesterday by Miss Jane Addams in an address on "Patriotism and Pacifists" before the current events class in the First Congregational church , Evanston. Her address received very mild applause, although complimentary remarks made by a woman member of the class in which Miss Addams was called "a citizen of the United States and of the world" were heartily applauded.
"This is a free platform," said Mrs. Catharine Waugh McCulloch, who presided, whereupon Justice Orrin N. Carter of the Illinois Supreme court took sharp issue with Miss Addams, declaring that while he agreed with much Miss Addams said, he was oppose to such a discussion at such a time as this.
"We are in war and it is our business to get behind the government," Justice Carter exclaimed with warmth, while the audience vigorously applauded.
Life Long Friends.
"I have been a lifelong friend of Miss Addams," the justice continued. "I have agreed with her on most questions in the past."
"That sounds as if you were going to break with me now," interrupted Miss Addams, laughing.
"I am going to break." retorted Justice Carter. "I think anything that may tend to cast doubt on the justice of our cause in the present war is very unfortunate. No pacifist measures, in my opinion, should be taken until the war is over.
"I want it understood, however, that anything I may have said was said in a spirit of perfect friendliness. Miss Addams and I, as I said, have been life-long friends."
Rall Says, "Majority Rules."
Prof. Harris F. Rall of Garrett Biblical Institute, another speaker from the floor, asserted the right of Miss Addams to discuss the terms of peace but said it was fundamental to a democracy that, when the people, through their representatives had decided on a course of action it was the business of all the people to stand by the government.
"Whatever our opinions on the subject of peace," he said, "we are a democracy in which we stand for the rule of the majority. The majority has spoken, and we must act in harmony with it."
Many Types of Pacifists
Mrs. McCulluch had introduced Miss Addams at the opening of the meeting.
"The position of the pacifist in time of war is most difficult and necessarily he must abandon the perfectly legitimate propaganda he maintained before war was declared," Miss Addams said.
"There are many types of pacifists, from the extreme left, composed of nonresistants, through the middle of the road groups, to the extreme right, who can barely be distinguished from mild militarists.
"But there is one position in which we are all agreed, that war, although exhibiting some of the noblest qualities of the human spirit, yet affords no solution for vexed international problems, and that, moreover, after war has been resorted to its existence, in spite of its superb heroism and sacrifices, which we also greatly admire, only obscures and confuse those faculties which might otherwise find a solution.
For "World Government."
"Agreeing substantially as to the causes of the present war, presented by others, we pacifists, so far from passively wishing nothing to be done, contend on the contrary that this world crisis should be utilized for the creation of an international government able to make the necessary political and economic changes when they are due; we feel that it is unspeakably stupid that the nations should have failed to create an international organization through which each one, without danger to itself, might recognize and even encourage the impulse toward growth in other nations.
"We are not advocating the mid-Victorian idea that good men should get together and pass a resolution that wars hereby cease and that the world be hereby federated, but that the world should be organized politically by the statesmen as it has already organized into an international fiscal system by its bankers and into an international scientific association by its scientist.
"We pacifists are accused of trying to isolate the United States and keep it out of world politics. We are urging the reverse and want our nation to lead the world into a wider life of coordinated political activity.
Help for Weak Nations.
"Let the United States by all means send a governmental commission to Russia; plans for a better fiscal system to bewildered China; food to all nations wherever little children are starving; but let us never forget that the inspiring and overwhelming sense of a common purpose, which an alliance with fifteen or sixteen nations gives us, is but a forecast of what might be experienced if the genuine international alliance were achieved, including all the nations of the earth."
Miss Addams advocated making a beginning of internationalism by the establishment at once of an international court in Athens.
