The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-09-27
MEANING OF THE WAR

pr. Lyman Abbott in the New York Sun.
 ment of the causes and meaning of the
 . European war I write with necessary
 brevity both because of the limits on my
 time and the limits on your crowded col
 umns.
 What is the cause of the explosion of a powder magazine? The gases stored is the occasion. not the cause of the ex- plosion. The cause of the European war Is the spirit of envy, jealousy selfishness and suspicion in the so-called Christian nations. The assassination by Servian of the crown prince of Austria was only the lighted match which set the European combustibles in flame.
 In the United States we recognize the truth that the interests of each state are identical with the interests of the union, and that no state can permanently pros per by reason of the misfortune of it's neighbor. In the German empire since its
 unification each principality similarly rec ognizes that the interests of the several principalities are essentially identical. But there is no such recognition of the com-
 
 of Europe together.
 Each nation looks with envy on the pros perity of It's neighbor and acts upon the assumption that it's neighbor is rival, and that it's own commerce and wealth can be built up only at the expense or its rival. New York is quite willing that the harbor of Boston should be improved. Bremen is quite willing that the harbor of Hamburg should be improved. The west coast of England does not object to harbor facilities on the east coast of Eng
 land But Germany envies England's har- bor facilities, and England and Germany
 Russia from getting harbor facilities on 1 the Mediterranean sea. Not every indi-
 viduai German, Austrian, Frenchman and Englishman holds this opinion. but the policies of these nations are governed by this spirit of international rivalry.
 A striking illustration of this spirit, per- haps the most striking illustration in mod ern international life, Is furnished by the military party in Prussia. General Bern hardi in a volume entitled Germany and the Next War" has given what may be regarded as semi-official interpretation of German militarism. He holds that life is struggle for existence with sur vival of the fittest. and the strongest Is the fittest; that a military organization constitutes the true strength of a nation; that there Is no higher power in human life, certainly none in international life,
 than tho power of physical force; that only the strong nation has right to exist. and he objects to international arbitra- ton because 1t recognizes the right to life of a small nation. In this volume he calls l or Germany to establish a world sov- l ereignty' by force of arms, and he indi- cates what Should be tho twofold pur- pose of Germany in the next war. namely
 to crush France and to establish such world sovereignty of Germany.
 | It was this spirit which led Germany
 into the present war; this spirit which de-
 nied that Belgium had any rights which
 Germany was bound to respect; this spirit
 which inspired the military party in Ger
 many to regard its treaty with France and England guaranteeing the neutrality of Belgium as only . "scrap of paper ' and this spirit which could not and appa-
 rently still does not comprehend why Bel gium should be bound in honor to defend
 her neutrality. or why England. with nc very direct and immediate interests te protect, should feel herself bound to come to the defense of her weaker neighbor.
 Tho delay of the German army. which
 is likly to prove disastrous to her designs
 has demonstrated in her own chosen field
 that there is force in national honol and national conscience which can put ur
 q very efficient resistance to Krupp guns It Is a great mistake to suppose thai
 all Germany Is actuated by this spirit oi militarism. Frederick William Vile, fol over seven years the chief German cor respondent of the London Daily Mall