Julia Ward Howe and Smedley Butler

Today’s program brings together two historical characters whose early lives were devoted to winning wars.  But later grew to see that war was hell and both dedicated their lives to peace.  One, Julia Ward Howe, is a celebrated UU (we even named a room after her here at UUFR!); the other, General Smedley Butler, who turned from war hero to an anti-war hero.

Now a day, Julia Ward Howe is most famous for writing the Lyrics for The Battle hymn of the Republic.  “Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord.”  One of the most rousing propaganda pieces in American history.

She was a mother of 6

Although her father raised her as a strict Calvinist, Julia said, “I studied my way out of all the mental agonies which Calvinism can engender and became a Unitarian."  During denominational meetings in May, 1875, Julia Ward Howe called together the first convention of women ministers.  

In the1870s, during the Franco-Prussian war, Julia felt that it was cruel and unnecessary.  In Boston, with the Mother’s Day Proclamation she initiated a Mothers' Peace Day, which was the original purpose of Mother’s Day.  She envisioned this as a day where women from all over the world could meet to discuss the means to achieve world peace. They would also convene as mothers, keeping in mind the duty of protecting their children.  Christina Stableford will be reading the Mother’s Day Proclamation a little later.

Our other historical character is Major General Smedley Butler.  He was raised as a Quaker.  Became known as “the fighting Quaker”; quite a contradiction.  He was a gung ho marine who won the Congressional Medal of Honor, twice.  Until the Second World War, he was the highest decorated soldier in US history- a real hero.  After he retired he appeared before congress and exposed a right wing coupe planning to over through the government of Franklin Delano Roosevelt.  He was discredited by the press but congress knew that he had saved the country. After he retired, he re-evaluated his life and wrote the book, War is a Racket.  Let’s begin with Wally Myers playing General Butler. 

Julia Ward Howe – General Smedley Butler Script

Smedley with a denunciation of propaganda:
“In World War (I), we used propaganda to make the boys accept conscription.  They were made to feel ashamed if they didn’t join the army.
So vicious was this war propaganda that even God was brought into it.  With few exceptions our clergymen joined in the clamor to kill, kill, kill.  To kill the Germans, God is on our side … it is His will that the Germans be killed.
 
And in Germany, the good pastors called upon the Germans to kill the allies  ... to please the same God.  That was a part of the general propaganda, built up to make people war conscious and murder conscious.
 
Beautiful ideals were painted for our boys who were sent out to die.  This was the “war to end wars.”  This was the “war to make the world safe for democracy.”  No one told them that dollars and cents were the real reason.  No one mentioned to them, as they marched away, that their going and their dying would mean huge war profits.  No one told these American soldiers that they might be shot down by bullets made by their own brothers here.  No one told them that the ships on which they were going to cross might be torpedoed by submarines built with United Sates patents.  They were just told it was to be a “glorious adventure.”  

Julia with the first part of the Mothers' Day Proclamation:
Arise, then, women of this day! Arise all women who have hearts,
whether our baptism be that of water or of tears!

Say firmly: "We will not have great questions decided by
irrelevant agencies. Our husbands shall not come to us, reeking
with carnage, for caresses and applause. Our sons shall not be
taken from us to unlearn all that we have been able to teach
them of charity, mercy and patience.

We women of one country will be too tender of those of another
country to allow our sons to be trained to injure theirs. From
the bosom of the devastated earth a voice goes up with our own.
It says "Disarm, Disarm! The sword of murder is not the balance
of justice."

Smedley with an indictment of the capitalism:
War is just a racket. A racket is best described, I believe, as something that is not what it seems to the majority of people. Only a small inside group knows what it is about. It is conducted for the benefit of the very few at the expense of the masses.

 I spent thirty-three years and four months in active military service as a member of this country's most agile military force, the Marine Corps. I served in all commissioned ranks from Second Lieutenant to Major-General. And during that period, I spent most of my time being a high class muscle-man for Big Business, for Wall Street and for the Bankers. In short, I was a racketeer, a gangster for capitalism.
I helped make Mexico safe for American oil interests. I helped make Haiti and Cuba a decent place for the National City Bank boys to collect revenues in. I helped in the raping of half a dozen Central American republics for the benefits of Wall Street. In China I helped to see to it that Standard Oil went its way unmolested.

War is a racket.  A few profit – the many pay.  So I say, “TO HELL WITH WAR!”
 
Julia with the second part of the Proclamation:
Blood does not wipe out dishonor nor violence indicate possession.
As men have often forsaken the plow and the anvil at the summons
of war, let women now leave all that may be left of home for a
great and earnest day of counsel. Let them meet first, as women,
to bewail and commemorate the dead.

Let them then solemnly take counsel with each other as to the
means whereby the great human family can live in peace, each
bearing after their own time the sacred impress, not of Caesar,
but of God.

In the name of womanhood and of humanity, I earnestly ask that a
general congress of women without limit of nationality may be
held to promote the alliance of the different nationalities,
the amicable settlement of international questions,
the great and general interests of peace.

Smedley with a heart to heart:
Now - you Mothers, particularly! The only way you can resist all this war hysteria and beating of tom-toms is by asserting the love you bear your boys. When you listen to some well worded, some well-delivered war speech, just remember it's nothing but sound. No amount of sound can make up to you for the loss of your boy. After you've heard one of those speeches and your blood's all hot and you want to bite somebody like Hitler. - go upstairs to where your boy's asleep... Look at him. Put your hand on that spot on the back of his neck. The place you used to love to kiss when he was a baby. Just rub it a little. You won't wake him up, he knows it's you. Just look at his strong, fine young body because only the best boys are chosen for war. Look at this splendid young creature who's part of yourself then close your eyes for a moment and
Smedley and Julia together:
We'll tell you what can happen....

Christina: Last week (May 1-8, 2010) in the occupation of Afghanistan:
The mother of Sergeant Nathan Kennedy lost her son.

Wally: The mother of Lieutenant Salvatore Corma lost her son.

Christina: The mother of Airman Austin Benson lost her son.

Wally:  The mother of Lieutenant Brandon Barrett lost her son.

Christina: The mother of Sergeant Mark Coleman lost her son.
Wally:  Last week in the occupation of Iraq
          The mother of Sergeant Anthony Magee lost her son.

Christina: The mother of Sergeant Ralph Mena lost her son.