The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1913-10-24
WAR!


War, once called an art-the art of
human confict-has suffered the de-
generation OF progress, and now be-
longs within the domain of the exact
sciences. Heroics have yielded TO
Observation-Disclosures the Great has
been superseded by the Maxim silenc-
er. The army has become a system
of aeroplanes, sanitary camps and ac-
curately adjusted ordnance, that to
be effective, does not even require
the view of the enemy. The navy
has developed into fleet of range
finders, gyroscopes. thermostated mag
azines, indexed smokeless powder,
telescope sights and oilburnIng tur-
bines. The enemy is mechanically To-
Gated, geometrically plotted and sci
entifically killed.
The art of war has passed, and
with it the only reason that gave it
the right of existence-the develop
ment of individual through national
F., character. At one time victory sup
posedly went to the brave, the strong
and the just. Today our military re-
/, suits are more exact. The question
Is merely one of preparedness and re-
sources. The chemical laboratories
that produce the highest explosives,
the foundries that yield the toughest
armor-plate, salories in the commits
sary and system in transportation
these are the factors that determine
the tide of success. Battles are no
longer fought and won on sea and
battlefield: they are decided with
board.
But surely, one holds, the inherent
traits of greatness have not all been
eliminated-the tenacity of Wash
ington. the sagacity of a Napoleon,
the strategy of Nelson, must yet be
slumbering somewhere in some heart
waiting only for. the call of opportu-
nifty. Error. They have been resoly-
ed away by psycho-analysis. Where
once we were content to be thrilled
by the force of Caesar or the nobility
Of Lee, We now pour over an essay
on Mind and Fitness to VIM" and
Munsterberg, on the psychology of
combat Admirals and generals are
being tested for their mental reac-
tions and classified according to their
ante-bellum. bellum and post-bellum
emotions.
And all this to what end one won
ders? That principle be paramount.
liberty prevailing and right triumph
ant? With the most optimistic inten-
tions that can hardly be concluded.
Rather the conviction forces itself
upon one that business is the issue
and trade the contention. As war has
progressed the causes for war have
retrogressed. Banners once unfurl-
ed for faith and swords unsheathed
for freedoms sake are curios Of his
tory. In hoe signo-" "$"vinces!
when oulpg diuS anu piA'otC as
mails need war to maintain the rate OF
their production, they create war. II
steel mills need business and bankers
want bonds. press agents are set to
work And nothing suits the purpose
of jingo journalism so well as garbled
rumors in half-page headlines by
which the hysteria of the masses can
be worked up into a super-sensitive :
state.
And the victim of all this, the fight
ing unit, soldier and sailor, upon
whom ultimately the actual brunt of
the conflict falls-is it not pitiful in
this day of higher ethics and compre
hensive education to contemplate
him, faithful in his ignorance, unrea-
soning in his obedience, standing
bravely at his gun or trench. calmly
facing the machine-made death that
awaits him in the morrow,-Robert