Communication

(The CRIMSON invites all men in the University to submit signed communications of timely interest. It assumes no responsibility, however, for sentiments expressed under this head and reserves the right to exclude any whose publication would be palpably inappropriate.)

To the Editor of the CRIMSON:

A certain humility is becoming in those who differ with what seems at the time to be majority opinion. The most that we and our four hundred fellow-delegates at Indianapolis, who expressed ourselves as refusing to participate in any future war, can do is to state frankly our reasons, and to invite full discussion.

At the outset we wish to make it plain that by refusing to participate in war we do not pledge ourselves to the position of absolute non-resistance. Our stand is simply that we do not believe in the kind of force used in modern warfare.

We believe that modern war is not an efficient instrument of protection. It seems likely that long-range guns, aerial bombs, both explosive and gaseous, and hunger blockades would so develop that the slaughter behind the lines would exceed that at the front.

Modern war, moreover, is in our opinion a vital and immediate menace to Western civilization. Its weapons are the deadliest man has ever used. Its methods are utterly careless of human life. Its cost is a crushing burden to future generations--if there are any. Its effects are a chaos of struggle.

All worthy means to prevent future war we heartily support. Believing that if the students of America will refuse to participate in war, the attention of the country will be so focussed upon the question that it will be difficult for statesmen to lead us into another war, we take this stand. Since such schemes as the Bok Peace Plan are favored by the majority at the present, we believe that more energy should be devoted to their fulfillment, and we go further in the hope that a decisive attitude honestly held may supplement less extreme methods. CLARENOR R. BROOKS '26.   STERLING DOW '25.   GARDINER LITTELL '24.