Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1914-11-25
BY H. G. WELLS

t1On or new centerS OF destruction. The
stuff exercised an Irresistible fascina-
ton upon certain type Of mind. Why
should any one give in while he can
still destroy his enemies? Surrender?
While there is still chance Of blowing
them to dust? The power of destruc-
ton which had once been the ultimate
privilege Of government was now the
only power left in the world-and it
was everywhere. There were few
thoughtful men during that phase of
blazing waste who did not pass
through such moods of despair as Bar
net describes and declare with him:
This is the end
And all the while Leblanc was going
to and fro with glittering glasses and
an ineXhaustible responsiveness, urg-
ing the manifest reasOnableness of his
view upon ears that ceased presently
to be inattentiye. Never at any time
did he betray doubt that all this cha
otto conflict would end. No nurse dur
ing nursery uproar was ever 50 Ger.
tain Of the inevitable ultimate peace.
From being treated as an amiable
dreamer he came by insensibe de-
grees to be regarded as an extrava-
CANT possibility. Then he began to
seem even practicable. The people
who listened to him in 1853 with a
smiling Impotence were eager before
1859 was four months old to know
just exactly what he thought might
be done. He answered with the pa
tience Of a philosopher and the lucidi-
ty OF Frenchman. He began to re-
ceive responses Of a more and more
hopeful type. He went across the At
lantic to Italy and there he gathered
In the promises for this congress. He
chose those high meadows above Bris-
sago for the reasons we have stated.
I'VE must get away" be said, from
old associations" He set to work
requisitioning material for his confer
ence with an assurance that was JUS
tilted by the replies. With a slight in
credulity the conference which was to
begin new order in the world gath
cred itself together Leblanc summon
ed it without arrogance He control
led it by virtue OF an infinite humility.
Men appeared upon those upland
slopes with the apparatus for wireless
telegraphy; others followed with tents
and provisions: little cable was flung
down to convenient point upon the
Locarno road below. Leblanc arrived.
sedulously directing every detail that
would affect the tone Of the assembly,
He might have been courier in ad-
vance rather than the originator of
the gathering. And then there arriv-
ed, some by cable car. most by aero
plane, a few in other fashions. the
men who had been called together to
confer upon the state Of the world, 1t
was to be conference without
name. Nine monarchs, the presidents
OF four republics, number of minis
tiers and ambassadors. powerful jour-
nalists and such like prominent and
influential men took part in it. There
were even scientific men. and that
world famous old man Holster came
with the others to contribute his anna
teur statecraft to the desperate prob
lem of the age. Only Leblanc would
have dared so to summon 6gureheads
and powers and lntelligences or have
had the COZ d. 81. their
agreement.
And one at ;'",>t Ut ;!r,Sr who were
called to in conference of govern
mentS came - il rl: loot. This was
! King ESberl yet :: King Of the most
venerable X : .n.n ! Europe. He was
rebel and iii'i n,,lHyS been Of delib-
crate choice Il I,I,r' against the mag
nificcnce nf his position. He affected
long pedestrian tours and Il disposition
to sleep in .ht open air He came now
over the pass OF ste Maria Muygiore
and by boat up the lake to I,rissago
Thence he walked up the mountain. a
pleasant path set with oaks and sweet
chestnut For provision on the walk.
for he did not want to hurry. he carried
with him Il p0cketful of bread and
cheese A certain small retinue that
was necessary for his comfort and dig
nifty upon occasions Of state be sent on
by the cable car, and with him walked
his private secretary, Firmin, Il man
who had thrown up the professorship
Of world politics in the London School
Of Sociology. Economics and Political
Science to take up these duties. Fir
min was man of strong rather than
rapid thought He had anticipated
great influence In this new position,
and after some years he was still only
beginning to apprehend how largely his
function was to listen. Originally he
had been something of a thinker upon
international politics. an authority
upon tariffs and strategy and valued
contributor to various of the higher or
gans of public opinion, but the atomic
bombs had taken him by surprise. and
he had still to recover completely from
his preatomic opinions and the sienc-
ing effect of those sustained explo-
sives.
The kings freedom from the tram.
mels of etiquette was very complete.
In theory-and be abounded in theory
his manners were purely democratic;
1t was by sheer habit and inadvert.
ency that he permitted Firmin, who
had discovered rucksack in small
shop in the town below, to carry both
bottles Of beer. The king had never
as matter of fact. carried anything
for himself in his life, and he had
never noted that he did not do 50.
1--WE will have nobody with u.s." he
said, lat all. We will be perfectly
simple"