The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1911-04-26
THE CAUSE OF WARS.


torlal study on the causes of modern
wars. 1t says that it had never ac-
cepted the assertion that it was the
popular frenzy due TO the destruction
OF the Maine in Havana harbor, that
drove our government into war with
Spain; and it quotes the London Spec.
tator as declaring that the wars of the
last half century have none of them
had such a cause. On the contrary.
modern wars, it asserts, have been an
essential element of State policy, 1t
cites the case Of the most recent
great wars OF Germany as coming out
of no popular frenzy; but Prussia made
war on Austria because Bismarck want.
ed to assert Prussia IS leadership In the
German speaking world; that in the
war with France, Prussia desired to
consolidate Germany under Prussian
leadership, and that was, in fact, the
result of the war.
Doubtless the showing made by the
London Spectator is plausible. And
still there aEe some things that might
be said in opposing vein. In place of
the war against Austria being promot-
ed as high policy for the purpose OF
asserting Prussia S leadership in the
German world, il might just as conf
IDENTIFY be asserted, and in fact it is
often asserted, that it was a war un-
dertaken to prevent the possibility of
a combination between Austria and
France in the expected war of Ger
many with the latter power, which
Bismarck saw to be unavoidable. And
in response to the assertion that Ger
many began the war on Austria for
the purpose of putting Prussia at the
head of the German federation, an
other view might be expressed that
Germany was put automatically on
the defensive, and that the war with
France was not An aggressive war in
any sense in its beginning. so far as
Germany was concerned. and which
the Spectator S view requires it to be.
On the contrary, France was the ag
gressor in the diplomacy from which
the war resulted, and began the war
with the avowed purpose of humbling
Prussia.
With regard to our own war with
Spain on account of Cuba, il would be
impossible to find state policy at the
bottom of it. On the contrary, i'm
entering upon that war, Congress
passed an altrulstic resolution, ex,
pressly denying any political, aggres-
sive, or purposeful motive on the part
Of the United States. To that altruis.
tic declaration we have been absolutely
| faithful, so far as Cuba is concerned
There cannot be the least doubt, either.
| that the destruction of the battleship
| Maine in Havana harbor so inhamed
| the popular mind in the United States,
| that there arose an irresistible demand
| for the clearing out of Spain from the
Western hemisphere. President Nc
| Kinley was reluctant to enter upon
that war. The Senate Of the United
| States was reluctant. The House OF
| Representatives was eager for the
war, this because Of the popular pres
sure for il.
| 1t is easy enough to look over the
| field after Il war has been fought. and
| after certain results have been reached
| through that war, and to say that
| those results were in view from the
first; but to apply this after knowledge
as a controlling reason for the begin
ming of the war. is not only illusive,
but absolutely misleading The United
| States, so far as the governmental
agencies are concerned, could easily
| have averted war with Spain. In fact,
President Mckinley had satisfactory
/ assurances from Spain. before any war
move was made, which meant that any
| thing that the United States would de
mand with respect to Cuba would be
conceded, even to independence. And
yet it was the popular demand and
| frenzy, on account of the destruction
of the Maine, that fred the torch of
war. 1t is useless TO argue against
| this, for the fact is too plain to be dis