The Washington times., 1914-10-14
NATION TRUE TEST
IS WAR" SAYS BR|TON
Writer in English Magazine Says
Martial Spirit Is Asset and
Points to Americas Danger.

A remarkable article. which is bound
to provoke much discussion in this
country, appears in the September is
sue OF the Nineteenth Century and
After. British monthly magazine 1t
Is by Harold F. wyatt, q well-known
English writer, and is entitled Gods
Test by War-A Forecast and It's Full
fillment." The article, which involves
trenchant appeal for the establish
ment of compulsory military service in
England, foretells the defeat of Eng
land by Germany and the United
states by Japan, unless the two Eng
llsh speaking countries ignore the pleas
Of sentimentalists for disarmament and
accept the burdens and sacrifices in
VOWED in preparation for war. War, the
author insists, is Gods test Of a peo-
pie efficiency and victory is the re-
var, ward OF sober. unselfish devotion to
nigh national ideals.
MIR. Wyatt's appeal was first published
IN september, 1911. at which time it fell
upon empty ears. The editor of the
magazine considers it's propehtic sig
nlncance so great that he republishes
1t today. and it has already stirred up
considerable comment in the British
press.
Gives Clear Picture.
The leading paragraphs of the arti-
Gle, which give a clear picture of the
authors line of argument, follow:
III the springs of national action
lall: II at crisis when international
rivalry is acute, given generation
shrinks from the effort and the sacri-
nee necessary to self-preservation,
then that generation is a. traitor at
once to its past and to it's future. It
0iShnnnrC he
earthly hour, did make that effort and
that sacrifice when the time called
Tor these. To those noble dead it is
IA IA insrate. and Of its own children it
is the fraudulent betrayer. For what
IT has. that it has received on the i'm
plcit condition that 1t shall pass il on.
Ihe soul has gone out Of a people when
1t recoils from a duty which the claims
or It's history and Of its posterity alike
impose. Has the soul gone out of
ENGLAND or does it still inhere?
England is still the heart and core
OF the aggregation of nations and of
races that owe allegiance. not to her,
out to the crown of her sovereign-that
crown whose influence the ages have
extended into the wide spaces of the
world. Considered from the standpoint
OF the true imperialist. England Is but
I province, but she is a pivotal prov
ince-the pivotal province Of the British
Empire. Upon her shoulders rests the
main weight Of that empires burden.
From her long suffering taxpayers is
derived by far the major portion of the
revenue which supports the British navy
and the British army. By her sons
those services are chiefly manned.
Withdraw from their support the
wealth of England. withdraw from their
ranks her men, and the empire must
fall like house Of cards. For Scotland
and Wales and Ireland contribute but
relatively small part of the money. and
though. perhaps. in a greater proper
tiOn-still far the lesser number of men.
This is fact inseparatble from their
inferiority in population and in wealth.
AS for the oversee dominions of the
King. they are but now beginning to
awaken to the realities OF the world of
competing nations of which they are a
part.
New Zealand Passive.
''They have but begun to move in earn
est. and with the exception of New Zea-
land. they have as yet given no contri-
button to the common defense in the
least proportion to their financial or
numerical power. II England fell sud
the British peoples; if the support of
the flag were left with the oversee do
minions. plus the Keltic fringe and the
lowlands Of Scotland. then there would
be a speedy end of the British raj.
I'VE may ask again, then, what Of
England? Is the heart that once was
hers still strong to dare and to re-
solve and to endure? How shall we
know" BY the test. BY what test? That
which God has given for the trial OF
pe0ples-the test Of war.
Docs this mean that with an insan- !
ity of action exceeding even the mad
ness of neglected preparation England
is to rrecipitate the unready empire into
conflict with the prepared and watchful