100 years ago in Spokane: Army official talks war to a crowd of socialists

From our archives, 100 years ago

The army commandant at Fort George Wright addressed a huge crowd of Spokane socialists and delivered a message that many opposed.

His topic was military “preparedness,” which many socialists believed was a dangerous first step toward U.S. entry into the European war.

Capt. A.J. Harris said that the U.S. had suffered previous misfortunes because of a lack of military preparedness. He urged that steps be taken immediately for strengthening the military.

“The crowd gave the Fort Wright officer its respectful attention,” said a reporter, yet they also peppered him with tough questions after his speech.

“Don’t you think it would be better to spend part of the millions being spent for war to search for the reasons so as to prevent future wars?” said one man in the audience.

“I am for anything that tends to peace,” said the commandant. “If at any time it is possible to eliminate national ideals and get a universal feeling of brotherly love, the reasons for war will cease.”

However, the commandant also pointed out that European socialists had failed to prevent the war in Europe.

“If the laboring man had said, ‘Let there be no war,’ there would have been no war,” said the commandant, to applause and cheers.

Many in the audience were staunchly pacifist and were unswayed by the commandant’s overall message. One man shouted, “No! There is no such thing as a just war!”