Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-06-05

the different nations actually reaches
the sum of $26, ,000, 600, 900 and this immense
amount humanity owes to itself No astro-
nomical problem 10 80 great as this and no
observatory can be compared to the Chamber
OF Deputies
For whom and for what purposes are all
these debts, these sacrifices and imposts Of
every kind, and this constantly growing
public embarrassment? They are to Grip.
pie agriculture, to render the earth barren,
to cause universal famine and to work out
| the inexorable mutual destruction Of nationL
A Thought for Decoration Day.
Better still Our intelligent humanity
has up to the present time had gratitude
only toward its spoilers, honor for its ex-
ecutionerS laurels for assassins and statues
for those who crush others under the iron
heel of oppression.
What shall we conclude from this ex-
animation? Nav we seriously hope that
the day will come when humanity shall
recognize its folly, when nations shall at
tain the age of reason, and infamous war
cease to sully our planet, because men have
become more enlightened concerning the
true conditions of happiness? No, We may
not. Men are SO made; they need masters
and executioners; they need misfortunes.
For many long years still ninety-nine men
out of every hundred will feel the neces-
sity of killing each other; and the hun
dredth man, who thinks them fools, will
himself be considered Utopian.
Can all the armies OF the world be abol-
ished? Do you dream Of such thing? It
is impossible.
A friend of mine, and q mechanic, has
kindly calculated the cost of making wooden
soldiers of natural size and good condition.
As, after all, the victims of to-day are only
an affair OF number, money and stratagem,
he has decided that all the armies could
easily be reproduced for six billion francs,
or 81 ,2OG, ,000, 900, year (soldiers in fir,
under officers in oak, officers in rosewood,
captains in mahogany, colonels in cedar and
generals In ivory and that they could be
drilled by steam power, the artillery being
included in the calculation.
Battles Fought With Wooden M.n.
The leaders of the two nations at war and
their staff officers would conduct the strategy
at their risk and peril. The victory would
belong, as heretofore, to him who by his
skill should succeed in checkmating his ad-
versary and in destroying the greatest num-
Der of combatants This Improvement on
ordinary armies would have the advantage
OF leaving the husbandman to his field, the
workman in his factory and the student to
studies, and would promote public pros
perity and general happiness
This may answer as advice to future min
listers of war when men, having finally
reached the age of reason, shall refuse to
fight. But for long centuries still, minis
tiers and generals can rest upon their laurels
The children of our good planet will not
soon attain the age of reason. And then,
what can they do? They must busy them
selves with something.
Besides, when one belongs to race every
nation of which deems it an honor to pos
sess ministry of war" at its head, with
out even perceiving the infamy of such q
title, he would, perhaps, seem rather inno-
cent if he tried to talk sensibly.
Oh, brothers in the system of Sirius or
CapeIla! Ii you can distinguish us from SO
great distance, how you must laugh at
our national and international policy.
CAMILLE FLAMMARION.