Workmen's advocate. (New Haven, Conn.) 1883-1891, 1889-06-29


the west coast of Africa had their origin
somewhat similarly. This eternal East
ern question that crops up now and again
and that keeps all Europe in one vast
army camp has its roots in commercial
rivalry. Who is to hold the key to the
East, this mighty field for exploitation,
after the "sick man" taxes his depart.
ure, bag and baggage This is the
question. In support Of this CONNER
cial theory of the causes of war, hear
what John Ruskin says:
"The first reason for all wars and for
the necessity of national defences is
that the majority Of persons, high and
low in all European nations are thieves,
and in their hearts greedy of their
neighbors' goods, land and fame.
And the guilty thieves of Europe, the
real source Of all deadly wars in it, are
capitalists. That is to say, people who
live by percentages on the labor of
others instead of by fair wages for their
own"
1t is an ill wind that blows nobody
good. This old saw applies with full
force to the question of war; for, under
existing conditions and in the present
constitution of society, if great war
was to break out it would ha a positive
blessing in those times Of depression
at least to all those not directly en-
gagged in the melee. 1t would cure, for
the time being at least both over pro-
duCtion and over population, two very
serious ills that at present atflict society.
The over-prOduCtion would be used up
in providing the over-population with
the means Of exterminating each other.
This would be killing two dogs with one
stone There is no cure for dull trade
| like good war. How often do we hear
that given expression to. A good war,
save the mark! Under a rational and
| Just constitution of society, it would be
| Just as sensible to speak of a healthy
| plague or benevolent earthquake; but
| dS I'll VIC eAl5billS oiucl, VI uiSol uel,
rather, everything is upside-down, we
can speak of and Justly appreciate the
benefits of good healthy war. Most of
us can remember the good times that
accompanied and followed the last
Franco-German War, Why, everyone
in this country at least, from Roths-
child down to the little boys that vended
the evening papers, was, to use current
phraseology, getting on immense
The French and Germans, having all
their energies engaged in DISCRIMINATING
each other, we had the markets both
home and foreign all to ourselves. Trade
enlarged, as Gladstone told us, by
leaps and bounds. Wages ruled high,
profits still higher. Millionaires got to
be plentiful amongst us, whilst working
people got double the quantity of beer
good war A great deal of hypocritical
cant is given vent to when wars are en-
gagged in. The time is prayed for when
men shall know the art Of war no more;
when they shall beat their swords into
ploughshares and their spears into prun-
ing hooks. A certain book we profess
to believe in, theoretically at least, lays
it down as the right thing to do, but
when we consider the time and place it
was written in, it shows clearly the
truth, so well put by the author of the
Bigelow Papers that they didn't know
everything down in JUDGE" And appar-
emily they failed to see the blessings
that flow from good war. Yet we
who know better nowadays are hypo-
critical enough to ring the bells, burn
bon-tires, fire cannon, and 50 on, and
when peace is proclaimed, when we
know quite well that it means a return
to hard times again. This is surely the
height of insincerity. The Orkney min
lister who petitioned the Lord to send
plenty of wrecks that way though the
winter was sincere and honest. Candor
like that can be appreciated, But to
make great demonstrations of JOY when
the hard times that follow peace are on
us again is hypocrisy indeed. To be
honest and consistent, we should wear
mourning and go about lamenting, in
the words of Robert Owen, "our best
friend, the war, is dead"
If anyone should think these remarks
on the blessings of war callous and
cold-blooded, let him bethink himself