The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1881-03-12
Berlin Letter.
Irregular Correspondencc)

| BERLIN Prussia, Feb. IS.
| Count Won Moltke has recently written 6
letter ON the subject of war, which will sound
strange to American and christian ears. 81
certainly approve of phlaLthroplc efforts &c
mitigate the sufIerings consequent upon war
But eternal peace is dream, and not even a
beautiful dream. War is an element Of the
mundane order prescribed by God. BY it are
developed the noblest virtues OF mankind
valor and selfdenlal, iathfuluess to duty, and
sacrlflcial willingness. The soldier gives his
life. Save for war the world would stagnate
and lose itself in materialism. Every law
implies the existence of an authority super.
visng aud guiding its administration; and i,
IS just this force which is lacking towards the
endorsements OF international contracts. Is ii
10 be expected that third states will take up
arms only because two powers, at war with
one another, have severallY or IN common vIo'
lated the War Convention. For this descrip-
ton of breach of contract there exists no
judge here below. The desderatum can only
be arrived at through the religious and moral
training of each and every individual, through
honorable feeling, through the righteousness
of military commanders, who of their own
accord impose such laws upon themselves and
voluntarily submit to them, as tar as the alb
normal conditions of war may permit. And
1t must be acknowledged that human sd.
vancemcnt in the manner of making war has
really resulted from general increase Of gen
tleness in popular views. Only compare the
campaigns of our day. One great step in the
right direction has been taken IN modern
times by the adoption of general aud compul-
sorry military service, which draws the educa-
ted classes into the ranks of the army Coarse
and violent elemeats are still, of course, to be
found therein-but not exclusively, as of yore.
Besides this governments have at their dIspos-
al two mighty engines wherewith to prevent
the preparation of e7il excesses-namely,
rigid discipline, kept up in peace times, So
that tho soldier Is thoroughly accustomed TO
1t; and watchfulncss on the part of the admin
istration charged with providing for the sol.
dlers requirements in the field. Where this
watchfuness is lacking, discipline can be only
imperfectly maintained. The soldier, called
upon to endure suffering, priyation, cxertiOn
and danger cannot be controlled by tho aver
age of country's means. He must take
everything that he requires for his mainlcn-
ance. You must not expect him to be more
than human. That which is most desirable
IN any war is that il should be brough. 10 an
end as soon as possible To this end every
means IS permissible except Of course. those
that are utterly rcprehcnsible | can by no
means agree with the Petersburg Declaration
which asserts that the only proper way to
make war is to weaken the military forces of
the enemy No; one must attack all the help
full resources of the governmcnt--its finances,
its railways, its stores. and even its prestige.
With this sort of energy-and yet with more
moderation than ever heretofore-was the last
war against France carried on. H. two months