Mountain advocate. (Barbourville, Ky.) 1904-1935, 1914-08-21
IN DEFENSE Of WAR
Views Of M. Olivier, Prime Minis
ter Of Napoleon III.
He Contended II Was Not the Most
Fearful OF All Fatalities, and That
It Was Not Without Its
Ample Compensation.

Herewith is a defense OF war by NJ.
Olivier, prime minister of Napoleon
III. He was charged with the respon-
sibillty of declaring the war OF 1870.
which responsibility. he said In his
speech of July IS, 1870, he accepted
with a light heart" This French view
of the justification and righteousness
OF war Is translated from NJ. Ollivier's
great work "LEmpire Liberal"
DE Maistre believes war to be di.
vine; ProudEon says that It is tho
most incorruptible expression Of our
conscience. the act which definitivsly
and in spite Of the impure influence
which mingles with it, honors US most
before creation and before the eter'
nal
%? all the fatalities against which
suffering humanity contends, war Is
not the most fearful and its evils are
not without ample compensations.
Like the pioneers, who open to light
and air the virgin forests by blows OF
the AK, great generals, the privileged
heroes Of history. by arms open the
way for civilization, disciplining inter-
Tor people. wipiug out degenerate ua-
tons.
Where war is not feared, there is
formed spirit of virility, hardihood
which engenders sublime inspirations;
genius is brought to light more by the
clash of arms than by the clatter OF
spindles
Men, accustomed to place above all
other considerations the idea Of sacri'
flee, OF voluntary self immolation, sur
pass even In art, commerce and indus
try those who are absorbed in the pro-
ductive but belittling cares by which
granaries are filled. 'Repose begets
cowardice. Generous sentiments arise
from perils confronted. When one
never has to defend his country ideas
of honor degenerate, and a nation
sinks into an ignoble race, incapable
OF heroic resistance and of the energy
OF sacrifice says Chateaubriand.
Every people, who. lacking the no
ton OF sacrifice, does not prefer the
glory OF dying nobly to the shame OF
living tgnobly, is doomed to subjec-
ton. The nation must be considered
as already dead which Is dominated by
the sordid element which cries like
the Athenlan of Aristophanes: Let US
drink to the limit, and have gay life;
nothing is more lovely than the stom-
ach: thy stomach is thy father and thy
mothef. Virtues, embassies, the call
Of duty? Empty glory and vain echoes
from the land of dreams
80 greatness is denied to every
statesman who does not put war In the
list OF his means of diplomacy, and
who cannot reply with vigor to weep
ing spirits, Yes, love peace, but
have a greater detestation for insult
and shame.
War Is divine in the sense that II is
one OF the indestructible laws OF the
human race.
THE dream of universal peace is a
Utopia, and | am not certain that II
would be desirable.
1T will be vain for you to submit to
humiliations, TO insults, TO outrages'
and when one smites you on one cheek
to turn the other By avoiding death
on the field OF battle will you escape
death on the bed OF agony?
Let us submit to the laws against
which We would rebel in vain, and
since war is one of those laws, let us
not condemn It. Let us accept II as
the noble form OF necessary death, as
that which leads most surely TO the
ascending renaissance OF the best.
Let us not seek blindly its gran.
deurs. however. They are too mixed
with calamities and tears. Let US rath'
err employ all our efforts to escape the
scourge, for It Is suffering, and to all
suffering It is proper to offer not only
compassion. but resistance. Only when
destiny imposes II upon us as duty.
let US accept Il manfully at all risks
and not fee from II in cowsrdice"