Los Angeles herald., 1908-02-19

EPIDEMIC OF WAR TALK

HI AR Is too hellish to be thought
wv Of, says Takahira. War Is
hell, said General William Te-
cumseh Sherman. This is expert testi-
mony on d subject that still possesses
too much fascination for the human
Imagination. and is too apt to be at
tractive rather than repellent to
thinkers who believe that they are en-
lightened civilized The world is
again roaring with war talk. On the
slightest provocatlon certain Amer
leans make the welkin ring with
threatening bowls and tell what they
would do, by proxy, by means of their
+ d fighting men. to an enemy that
dared to give battle France has a
red ring around Alsace and Lorrair
and the entente cord,a1e with Ger
many would not last a month If
Europe should Suddenly lose self con-
troll and become Dom ock Fair.
Turkey has been regarding Russia
with cynical. avaricious contempt
ever since the Japanese avenged
Plevna and Kars. Britain is writing
in anguish at the thought of what
may possibly happen in India and is
hoping that America will quarrel with
Japan, in order that the Japs may be
kept away from the borders of Hin
dustan. She is tired of her unnatural
alliance with Japan. 1t has served it's
turn, because Russia has been checked
effectually in ASIA But the thought
that Japan may be tempted to covet
Hindustan as ardently as Russia was
said to covet it is disturbing the Inn
periap' Briton. the man who cannot
realize that the loss of an alien and IN
every respect impossible" Indian "em-
pire" would be great gain not only to
the United Kingdom but to English
speaking civilization. Hindustan is
big stumbling block in the way OF
English speaking federation. IT was
added to the empire by series of ac-
cidents. The British government found
tht It was cheaper to keep armies In
constant readiness at various points
of India than to dispatch expeditions
from Britain to avenge this or that IN
truding trader who had suffered at the
hands of irate Hindus. An Oriental
potentate named D'Israeli. who found
himself disguised as an Englishman,
using the English speech, but without
a single drop of English or non-Orien-
tai blood in his veins, took advantage
of traders quarrels and desultory ter
ritorial Indian annexations to make
Britain an Oriental power-a passing
strange incongruity, which must have
made the gSlls guffaw In far olympus.
Students of history are keenly APP
preciative of the fact that Britain IN
aiding, comforting, supporting, petting
and pampering Japan may have aided,
comforted, petted, pampered and sup
ported her dispossessor in the Orient
Verify, it is to laugh. Meanwhile, let
us be thankful that our British cousins
have been brought to their senses--or
hrye been approxs::EE,,.. tely restored to
them. An altogether sensible British
lingo is impossible. The shrieks OF the
American lingo have aroured the BTU
ish lingo to fraternal enthusiasm ana
he declares, with the knowledge and
consent of his government. that If
Japan should fire one hostile shot at
the American flag. Britain will tear up
that Japanese treaty (secretly giving
thanks) and will help to spank the lit
tie brown man as ne has never been
spanked in all his career. Taking one
consideration with another and putting
ones self in the place of the japanese
statesman, it is not surprising that he
saws that war is too hellish TO De
thought of.