The Washington herald., 1914-11-01
Overtrained Armies and Spirit of
War Parties Blamed for Conflict
Miss Janet Richards Tells of Skenig Feeling of Impending Calamity
Europe-Army officer Wrote to His Wife H We Don't Pull
Oft the War This Time 1t Will Be Rotten.'

Another capacity audience greeted Miss
Janet Richards on Monday last at her
second talk on Current History Day
by Day in the large auditorium ont
Woodward & Lothrop's, when Miss Rich
ards continued her historic review of the
causes Of the European war from the
viewpoint Of the various nations involved
Having analyzed in her first talk of the
previous Monday, what she called the
basic causes" of the cOnflict-which find
their roots in racial antagonism, con-
fusion Of tongues conflicting political
ideals, and commercial and colonial rival
ries-a blend which breeds Jealousy
suspicion, and race hatred-AIiss Richards
showed how these conditions led inevi-
-tably to the growth of a dangerous mill
tarism, in which lay, ever dormant, the
menace of war.
This" declared the speaker. PRO
duced a state of mind on the part of the
ruling element (Which is too apt to be
the war party of each government, upon
which the widespread peace propaganda
produced no effect but that of scorn and
ridicule. This state Of mind, which doubt
less prevails in the military circles OF
every nation involved, is well reflected in
the sentiments Of that much-talked-of
book by Bernhard entitled Germany
and the Next War"
while it is claimed by many repre-
sentative German Americans that this
book represents only disCredited brand
of German jingoism. the unfortunate
fact remains. that few Of the nations
can claim exemption from a similar
spirit within the circle OF their respective
war parties, and such a book cannot fail
TO augment this spirit by adding fuel to
the fame.
1T is also an astounding revelation Of
the theory that might makes right, pre-
scented in its boldest and most robust
fOrm"'
The Political Evolution.
Declaring that no clear or intelligent
understanding Of the present complicated
situation can be enjoyed without a
knowledge Of the political evolution Of
the nations involved-an evolution cover
ing a period of at least century, the
speaker continued:
"Of course we all know that the six
great nations of Europe are lined up
in two political alliances Of three nations
each. The Triple Alliance, or 'Drei-
bund,' Includes the two Teutonic ma
tions-Germany and Austria, and the lat
ter's Latin neighbor, Italy.
The other alliance, or Triple Entente
as IT is officially called, includes the
great democratic kingdom OF Great Brit
ain, the Republic of France, and the
autocracy Of Russia.
"A strange partnership in the opinion
Of some, and one that may be destined
to cause complications in the final set
tlement, but which seems to have been
created by the force of circumstances in
the hope of preserving what Is known
in diplomatic parlance as the balance of
power.
zone wel-known writer has laid the
blame for this war, to a great extent,
to what he calls the curse Of alliances
an arrangement primarily designed to
preserve the peace, but which, in the final
event seems destined to draw all the
nations into the maelstrom Of war. If
this point be well taken. others would
add to It. the twin-curse Of militarism
and secret diplomacy-militarism being,
by common consent, the dominant cause.
Amies OvertraiPed.
Indeed. we may justly ilaim that the
one condition which more than any other