The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1914-11-03
AN INCREASE OF INSANITY VIII
BE ONE OF THE WARS: RESULTS
Nerve Racking Experiences, Untold Hardships and Kill
of the Most Virile Will Affect Children Of Noxt CO..
Grafton, Declares Specialist.

r,alize that the terrific struggle now
being waged in Europe will produce
results which as a whole have never
before been equalled in history. The
significant figures Of the thousands
upon thousands Of combatants alone
would entitle the cataclysm to first
place.
Never before have such hordes of
technically trained troops battled
against Zach other. Never before have
the ~onslaughts been so scientifically
murderous and the devastation so ap-
palling. In this war, when a victori-
Gus army deems it necessary to punish
a few citizens and set an example for
the rest, a priceless treasure like Lou
vain is RACED to the ground. A bat |
tie line is not confined to several miles
it stretches across a nation. The
cost of food, ammunition, transporta-
ton. etc, ~apprOximates a half billion
dollars a day. With such staggering
magnitude are operations carried on
nowadays.
In contemplating huge values one
naturally loses sight Of the more re-
mote results which will not only
gradually manifest themselves, but
which will have an equal if not great
or and more rmane effect upon
utilization in general. Whether it be
true or false that crises such as this
are inevitable, whether or not the
question of world militarism could
only have been settled in this fash
ION; whether autocracy must meet a
Waterloo or become IN ~unbearable
menace; whether or not a clearing Of
the atmosphere at the present time
will constitute the strongest potential
force toward the development Of
universal peace, We must needs agree
with the ~sagacious Ben Franklin,
who wrote: Whatever advantage one
-
would be cheaper to purchase such
advantage with ready money than to
pay the expense Of acquiring 1t by
war But a week after the treaty OF
Paris. to which he himself had af-
fixed his signature, he wrote to a
friend: May we never see another
war. for, in my opinion, there neve
was a good one, nor a bad peace"
During the whole of the Franco.
German war the German dead totalled
rs 5000 and the disabled and wounds
100000. The French lost 1860 il
killed and $4,000 in disabled ant
wounded. Reports lave it that in tn,
war now being fought a single battle
harvests even more, and probably thu
truth Will not be known until tn
whole horrible business is settled.
All the nations now nave their bes
troops in the field and inc already
with actual hostilities only a fey
weeks old-the last reserves and tn
striplings are being called to the col
ors, We may deduce that the flowe
of these hosts is rapidly being deci
mated. Surely Germany. france an
belglum are making most supreme ef
forts and such efforts can only be eff
fective with the very best men. TIL
sad part of it all is hat the most viril
of the nation are culled for canno
rood, yet in modern warfare Draw
and SuperiOr ipte1lipenCo do not ppcqs
sarily make the best soldiers.
With the leaders it is different, bt
they are few and are seldom shot. 7
quote David Starr Jordan. "Ther
was once a time when the struggle
Of armies resulted in a survival
The @fittest, when the race was indee
To the swift n the battle to tn
strong. The invention of ~villaint,
Eunpowder' has changed all this. +,
cept the kind of warfare called que
rilla, the quality Of the individual h;
ceased TO be much of a factor. tt
clown can shoot down the hero, an
In the words of Charles f. Lummi
ne doesn't have to look the hero
the face while he shoots The she
destroys the clown and hero alik
ana the machine gun mows doV
whole ranks impartially. There
little play for selection in modern w
save what is shown in the process
enlistment"
And in an up to date Armagedd'
such as now selection in enlistment
one of the worst features; the ral
ana file private is submerged and Z
simulated into huge units; he is q
mocratized to an it; brain atrophl
Tor want Of use; Drawn is wrapped
the maximum and hen left neglect
by the roadside. 1t is said that t
German infantryman doesn't even
tempt to aim-he simply places I
gun at his shoulder and shoots In
Nldual craftsmanship has given W
10 Volley fire. 1t is also reported IL
The Germans don't like the old ia:
ioned bayonet charges. Yet tn
military was supposed to be the lat
word in armies.
Thus. individual heroism, end
ahce and ability have vanished. II
now largely a urocfinr IF mpChan