On Renouncing War
In his bond-selling speech over the radio Sept. 8, 1943, President Roosevelt made a statement that is in point here when he very aptly and significantly remarked: "The money you lend and the money you give in taxes buys that death-dealing, life-saving power we need for victory." Regardless of any reservations that may be had relative to certain phases of the New Deal or any political bias that may exist, the man does not live who can successfully gainsay that statement of the commander in chief of "that death-dealing, life-saving power." It expresses an exact truth that should challenge the attention of all whose head (reason) has been overcome by their heart (sentiment) on this subject.
That is exactly the purpose that such power serves in God's realm of force. To approach such maniacs as the leaders of the Axis powers with the gospel plea for righteousness would, at this time, violate the inspired injunction: "neither cast your pearls before the swine, lest haply they trample them under their feet, and turn and rend you." The thing to cast at them, under present circumstances, is more death-dealing power that its life-saving power may accrue to civilization; and all who buy war bonds have their part in it. Nevertheless, Harry Emerson Fosdick, in settling his account with the unknown soldier several years ago, as quoted by the Gospel Advocate of August 26, 1943, says among other things: "I renounce war, and never again, directly or indirectly, will I sanction or support another." This shows to what extremes even able men will go when sentiment has, at least temporarily, dethroned reason.
All normally-minded people renounce the causes of war. But to unqualifiedly renounce war, as Mr. Fosdick did, is to renounce both sides, including its life-saving aspect, or else that renunciation assumes there is no lifesaving aspect to war. If he and those who endorse his rash statement would move over into Poland or a few other countries for a few months they might realize that war with all its horrors, when resistance is sufficiently strong, has a very definite "life-saving" aspect.