The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1904-07-14

1 arg uiLslL III FAVOR OF WAT " 81 +AS~S
been begun, and therefore it should go
lon. Thus it seems to simple, benighted.
unlearned men acting under the infiu-
ience of the petty passions and stupe-
faction to which they have been sub
tjected. In exactly the same way the
most educated men of our time argue
to prove that man does not possess free
will, and that, therefore, even were he
to understand that the work he has
commenced is evil, he can no longer
cease to do it.
And dazed, brutalized men continue
their dreadful work. ....s
Ask a soldier, a private, corporal, a
non-commissioned officer who has
abandoned his old parents, his children,
why he is preparing to kill men whom
he does not know, he will at first be as
tonished at your question. He is a
soldier, he has taken the oath, and it is
his duty to fulfil the orders of his COM
manders. If you tell him that war
Ii, e., the slaughter of men-does not
lconform to the command, Thou
shalt not kill" he will say, And
how if ours are attacked for the king
for the orthodox faith" Zone Of them
said in answer to my question: And
how if he attacks that which is sa-
cred?" What do you mean? ~ !
asked. Why he said, "the banner
And if you endeayor to explain to such
a soldier that Gods commandment is
more important not only than the ban
ner, but than anything else in the world
he will become silent, or he will get an
CRY and report you to the authorities.
Ask an officer, a general, why he goes
to the war. He will tell you that he is
a military man. and that the military
Eare indispensable for the defence of the
fatherland. AS to murder not conform
ing to the spirit of the Christian law,
this does not trouble him, or. IL he
Idoes, it is not in the law itself, but in
that explanation which has been given
Ito this law. But, above all, he, like the
soldier, in place of the personal ques-
ltion, what should he do himself. all
ways put the general question about the
Estate or the fatherland "At the pres
ent moment, when the fatherland is in
danger, one should act, and not argue, :"
he will say.
Ask the diplomatists who, by their.
tdeceits, prepare wars, why they do It.
lThey will tell you that the object of
their activity is the establishment of
Ipeace between nations. and that this
object is attained, not by ideal, unreali-
Fable theories. but by diplomatic acc
ton and readiness for war. And just as
1.-THE military, instead of the question
Ieoncerning ones own action, place the
general question, so also diplomatists
Twill speak about the interests of Rus
STA, about the unscrupulousness of 9TH
er powers, about the balance Of power
in Europe, but not about their own po-
lsition and its activities.
| Ask the journalists why, by their
writings, they incite men to war, they
will say that wars in general are me-
Ecessary and useful, especially the pres
ent war, and they will confirm this
Iopinion of theirs by misty patriotic
phrases, and, just like the military and
Idiplomatist, to the question why he, a
Journalist, a particular Individual, a
living man, acts in a certain way, he
Twill speak about the general interests
lof the nation. about the state, civiliza-
ton, the white race. In the same way,
all those who prepare war will explain
their participation In that work. They
will perhaps agree that it would be de-
sirabie to abolish war. but at present
this is impossible. At present they as
Russians and as men who occupy GER
4 tain positions, such as heads OF the no.
bility, representatives of local self-gov-
ernment doctors, workers of the Red
Cross, are called upon to act and not
to argue. There is no time to argue
and TO think Of ones SELF" they will
say, when there is great common
work to be done" the same will be said
| by the Gar seemingly responsible for
the whole thing. He, like the soldier,
will be astonished at the question,
whether war is now necessary. He
does not even admit the idea that the
war might vet be arrested. He will say
/ that he cannot refrain from fulfilling
/ that which is demanded Of him by the
whole nation, that. although he does
recognize that war is a great evil, and
has used, and is ready to use, all posi-
| BILE means for it's abolition-in the pres
lent case he could not help declaring
war, and cannot help continuing it. 1t
i Is necessary for the welfare and glory
of Russia.
Every one of these men to the ques-
tion why he, so and so, Ivan, Peter,
Nicholas, while recognizing as binding
upon him the Christian law which not
only forbids the killing of ones neigh-
4 Dor, but demands that one should love
him, serve hin1-why he permits him
self to participate in war;. e., In vio-
/ lence, loot, murder-will infallibly an
swer the same thing-that he is thus
acting in the name of his fatherland, or
| faith, or oath, or honor, or civilization,
or the future welfare Of the whole of
mankind-in general Of something abb
stract and indefinite. Moreover these
men are always SO urgently occupied
either by preparation for war or by its
organization, or discussions about It.,
that In their leisure time they can only
rest from their labors, and have not
time to occupy themselves with discus
sions about their life, regarding such
discussions as idle.-London Times.
| -, x THE WHITE CITY.
/ Tomorrow night the greatest of all
j 49,