Peter Maurin: Disarmament of the heart

====

Anti-war essays, poems, short stories and literary excerpts

American writers on peace and against war

====

Peter Maurin

Moral Disarmament (1936)

1. Theodore Roosevelt used to say:
   “If you want peace
   prepare for war.”
2. So everybody prepared for war
   but war preparations
   did not bring peace;
   they brought war.
3. Since war preparations
   brought war
   why not quit preparing for war?
4. If nations prepared for peace
   instead of preparing for war,
   they might have peace.
5. Aristide Briand used to say:
   “The best kind of disarmament
   is the disarmament of the heart.”
6. The disarmament of Germany
   by the Allies
   was not the product
   of a change of heart
   on the part of the Allies
   toward Germany.

***

Disarmament of the Heart

1. The Pope Benedict XV
   and Aristide Briand spoke
   about the disarmament of the heart.
2. France and England
   who refused to follow Wilson
   refused also to follow
   the Pope Benedict XV and Aristide Briand.
3. They are increasing armaments
   in the fallacious hope
   that they will preserve peace
   by preparing for war.
4. Before 1914 they prepared for war
   and got it.
5. Nations have too long
   prepared for war;
   it is about time
   they prepared for peace.

• ***

Room Could Be Found

1. There is too much wheat
   in the United States.
   2. There is too much cattle
   in Argentina.
   3. There are too many sheep
   in Australia.
   4. There are too many Germans
   in Germany,
   too many Italians
   in Italy,
   too many Japanese in Japan.
   5. Room could be found
   in the United States
   for the Germans,
   in Argentina
   for the Italians,
   in Australia
   for the Japanese.
   6. To make room
   for the Germans, Italians, Japanese
   is a better way to establish peace
   than to build more battle ships,
   more submarines, and more aeroplanes.

***

From Soldiers and Scholars

1. Soldiers rely
   on the power
   of the sword.
2. Scholars rely
   on the power of the word.
3. Soldiers think
   in terms of Empire,
4. Scholars think
   in terms of culture.

Advertisement