Competition in armament, both land and naval, is not only a terrible burden upon the people, but I believe it to be one of the greatest menaces to the peace of the world.
Interpretation
The ongoing arms race poses a significant threat to global peace and burdens society.
Frank B. Kellogg's quote emphasizes the detrimental effects of military competition on society and global stability. He argues that the focus on developing land and naval armaments not only drains resources and burdens the populace but also escalates tensions, ultimately endangering world peace.
In practice
In a speech about global security, one might cite this quote to emphasize the need for disarmament.
It is idle to say that nations can struggle to outdo each other in building armaments and never use them. History demonstrates the contrary, and we have but to go back to the last war to see the appalling effect of nations competing in great armaments.
WE MUST DEVISE A SYSTEM IN WHICH PEACE IS MORE REWARDING THAN WAR.
The United States strongly seeks a lasting agreement for the discontinuance of nuclear weapons tests. We believe that this would be an important step toward reduction of international tensions and would open the way to further agreement on substantial measures of disarmament.
Mere praise of peace is easy and ineffective. What is needed is acitve participation in the fight against war and everything which leads to it.
Of course, let us have peace, we cry, "but at the same time let us have normalcy, let us lose nothing, let our lives stand intact, let us know neither prison nor ill repute nor disruption of ties ... " There is no peace because there are no peacemakers. There are no makers of peace because the making of peace is at least as costly as the making of war - at least as exigent, at least as disruptive, at least as liable to bring disgrace and prison, and death in its wake.
You can always make peace with an F-16 in your pocket.
War can be avoided, and it ought to be avoided. I want no war.
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