New Iberia enterprise and independent observer. (New Iberia, La.) 1902-1944, 1914-10-17
WAR.

w Htlt I ID CptIdllssl HON w ny
did not the Socialists stop the
war! That was the question
which was flung with a half con
cealed sDeer at the Socialist or
CARNATIONS when the European
coniagration began. 1t hardly
requires an answer. In no coun-
try in the world, except possibly
In Belgium, has Socialism reached
the point of having any sort of
control of the machinery of gov
ernment. The Socialists were as
powerless to prevent war as the
cIbin-bev is to prevent his ship
from running on the rocks. Bu.
although it needs no extended
argument to answer the ques-
ton. we may learn a good dea,
from the mere fact that the ques-
ton is asked. We learn. for ex-
ample, that the general under
standing of world politics and
world events and of the under
lying factors in great human
movements is dreadfully and al
most hopelessly inadequate, The
sbysmal ignorance with which
eur public approaches the prob
aems of social development has
been sufficient in the past to
make even angels weep. Perhaps
this terrific catastrophe in Eu-
rope, reducing society to Its
primal elements and barring the
secret heart of humanity, may
awaken us to a more lively inter
est in the real trend Of human
progress and throw a searchlight
on the way I'm which we our
selves are golng.
The idea that Socialism or the
could possibly have pre-
vented this catastrophe IL mo less
absurd than the nation that the
KAISER Wilhelm was responsible
for bringing it about. No one
man. mad Or super-sane. could
set twenty Mlillion men at one
another,s ,tlrroats or plunge two
contiBents. from Paris to lkiao-
chau. into a welter of blood and
fire. The cguses of the war are
and intricate Not to
90 too far into history, we may
begin with the alliance Of France
and Russia, a defensive measure
against the growing pswer OF
Germany, but not without an ar
riere pensee Of revenge at some
propitions future date. Then
followed the -Anglo-Fre1lch en-
tente of 1904. when England
found it wise to insure herself
against the ri&ing German fleet.
These were the beginnings OF
that great triple entente which
was not consummated until 1907.
whem England made friends with
her ancient Russian enemy and
the ring fence round
termany. What varions de-
,ires and hopes entered into this
up of the anti-Garman
league. Edward, the peacemak-
II, himself more than half
Germany loyed France. He
,ensed the coming conflict be-
ween German and English am
,itions, and he made .peace with
lis older rivals in order to be
eady for Germany when "Der
'ag" arrived. Then came, the
,alkan wars and the rise of the
'lav states, throwing an iron bar
ier between Austria s road to
'alonica and Gsrmany's pet
cheme of expansion in Asia
Iinor and Mesopotamia. The
reat GermaD development sur
onnding the Bagdad railway,
ihich Germany had fought for
ssah and nail during ten years
f dangerous diplomacy, was
lddenly left in the air by the
of new Servia and
new Bulgaria, backed by Rus
as might. Look again at the
apanese war, which rolled back
lie advance Of Russia TO the
armer waters of the China seas
nd sent the Great Bear cropping
, of old toward Constantinople
I'd the Mediterranean. Russia
like a Sluggish fluid which.
ressed at one end of the tube.
ust emerge finally at the other
saw the emergency com
e. For Russia had taken all !
Ie lessons of the Japanese war
heart and was preparing her
lge army for a new struggle.
Behind all these kaleidoscope