The Detroit times., 1914-10-21
sY MARY BOYLE o'REILlv.

8Y MARY BOYLE o'REILlY.
| LONDON, Eng. Oct. .21.-"The
cleverest man in England is an Irish
man." said modest Lloyd-George
and he left me to guess whom. I
asked an interview Of George Bern
ard Shaw
| Followed an hour or tonic talk,
sword bright wit and rapier epi-
gram. For &c. b. s." has no rever-
ence for hoary sham; he revels in
the serene security OF an intellect
trained to work with ease There
is no weller of ideas. Phrases fall
swift and sure. as sentences in
Sophocles.
England Is not at war because
Germany made an Infamous pro-
lposal. to violate Belgian neutrality"
began Mr.. Shaw. '1f II had suited
US to accept that proposal we could
have found plenty OF good reasons.
The England that grabbed Ireland,
India and Egypt cannot delude the
Germany OF Wilhelm III. Our nation
al trick OF sanctimonous indigna-
tion Is simple Hypocrisy. Let US
therefore drop IL.
1--WE explain that war is insensate
deviltry-that Is, war made by Ger
many, not war as England makes II.
We prattle of British courage. and
for weeks sit round In a state of
lfrightful funk. holding each others
hands and exclaiming BE strongn
BE brave,' Business, as usualv"
I'VE cry out against the needless
slaughter of German troops. But the
only reason we fight in open for
nation. Is because we have not
enough soldiers to send them into
battle packed like sardines.
"The junker caste Of Germany Is
no better. no worse, than the junk
er caste of England. Commanding
troops Is the only aristocratic pro-
fession. The German people hate
the military caste as do the English
lpeople--and for the same reasons.
'Tn both armies the soldiers
should shoot their officers and go
home, the agriculturist to HIS land
and the townsman to his painting
and glazing!
England and Germany are a
couple Of extremely quarrelsome dogs
gripped in bitter determination to
do a rival incurable mischief. Each
has the same pretension to naval or
military supremacy. the same In
stinct for empire, the same creed Of
force and OF arrogant Hypocrisy.
l'Weltmacht oder Niedergang' (Em-
pire or DownfalD, says the Prussian
| War Party. World Domination or
Ruin says the English lingo.
Each holds the other a great
robber state England today holds
one-fifth OF the globe merely by pri-
ority OF robbery. Britishers believe
Germany country that wants re-
straining. With England destroyed.
Germany would. burst into world
dominion. Therefore England's mis-
sion in the world Is to destroy Ger
many.
I'VE must never forget that as an
unpopular and ill-mannered nation
i our existance depends on our being
prepared 10 fight the entire human
race.
| THE great secret OF our foreign
policy Is that we have no foreign
policy. From time TO time the sec
rotary of foreign affairs announces
In the house of commons that we are
trapped into some alliance which we
had not the faintest idea OF making
The late King Edward cherished q
liking for Biarritz, France, and En-
gland has French entente.
"The foreign policy OF England,
France and Germany consisted most
Il txr In "A -
Europe. ~
"Painstaking analysis OF the state
OF Europe today resolves into the
fact that Russia wants something
and Is reaching out 10 take IL. In
10 years England will be fighting
Russia -e. aF ss.t,.
Meantime, the map OF Europe
goes into the rag mill And all be-
cause our foreign ONCE Is not con-
troled by the democracy instead Of
by aristocratic foreign secretaries
and their retfnues OF Nuts They
never tell the truth solely because
II they told the whole truth both the
Labor Party and the Liberals would
have revolted and abandoned them
Ito Ulsterl
| "slr Edward Grey never dared
tell the people ne was going 10 ngnt.
In this. a presumably democratic
country, he first declared war and
then went down to the house of COM
mons to tell them he had done II.
He trusted to their inbred desire 70
have a go at the Kaiser.
I'VE always learn in war that we
never learn from war. am pleased
with the spirit OF those who advise
war for its own sake as tonic. Like
most constitutionally timid civilians I
like courage and tho active use OF
lstrength for the salvation OF the world.
I want international peace, but have
mo objection TO the modern nostrum
lof hygienic war
"Let those who believe In Il resort
TO one OF the wild spaces OF earth and
blaze away at one another until the
survivors (if any feel that they can
return to civilized life purified by ar
\ tillery FIRE. War Of this kind must
be commercially and politically disin-
terested, II must not be forced on for
eigners or made an obstacle to the
business OF the world
Less martial men believe that the