OCR Text |
Show OPINION ON ONE ROAD TO PEACE EXPRESSED The idea that science, with its limitless capacity for eliminating want and creating plenty, may develop de-velop the long-sought formula for a lasting peace is expressed by John W. Thomas, chairman of the Firestone Tire and Rubber company. com-pany. Press dispatches relate that Mr. Thomas envisions a world of the future in which research will do much toward outlawing war by removing a major cause and developing de-veloping weapons so destructive "that men will never dare unloose them." The tire executive was on debatable debat-able ground at least, until he brought forth idea that men will never dare unloose the most destructive de-structive weapons available for their murderous warfare. This notion no-tion will not stand up under scrutiny. scrut-iny. It has been advanced repeat-i repeat-i edly as new weapons have been developed to make wars more deadly and more devastating. There is something to the idea that science, if it eliminates want and creates opportunity may develop de-velop a condition in the world that will temporarily at least, satisfy the longs and ambitions of most people. It is possible that such development may eliminate the artificial barriers that now restrict re-strict the economic activities of mankind. Tis is the extent of the contribution that science can make to the prevention of warfare'. war-fare'. If the men of the world are to live in peace, that happy state will be reached not through the development de-velopment of material things, but in the growth of the spirit of unselfishness un-selfishness within the hearts ofi men. In this sense, it is quite true to say that the only hope of permanent perm-anent peace lies in the spiritual development of mankind, which depends very largely upon the the practice of the religions professed pro-fessed by men. |