Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1914-10-16
ENGLAND AND THE WAR.
tBy G. Bernard Shaw. of London. Eng


rBy G. Bernard Shaw. of London. Eng
land.l
1t is idle and somewhat exasperating
TO talk Of lifting the acts and thoughts
OF the British people To The plane Of
the noblest and purest patriotism
with such business in hand as the
presen; war.
The hard fact is that we have placed
ourselves In such position that we
can not. without the most cowardly,
treac cherry. refuse to throw ourselves
with all our might into The war on the
side OF France.
But we are all three-France. Ger
many. and England alike--committing
a crime against civilization for the
benefit OF Russia. and 10 ask me or
any other sane man TO create an IL
fusion of nobility and purity and pa
triot!sm around such a crime is 10 ask
honest people TO 90 the work of dupes
and fools.
We shall have 10, fiyh: End die and
pay and suffer with the grim knowi-
edge thst we are sacrificing ourselves
in ar insane cause. and that only by
putting up a particularly good hght
can we bring ourselves out of il with
credit.
For my part. can only hope that all
the western powers involved will ac-
quit themselves so heroicaily that they
viii De forced 10 divide the honors OF
war and shake hands forever
For what IL TO happen If we smash
Germany and smash Sweden. II We
have forced Sweden 10 join Germany
Simply that we have TO defend both
Sweden and Germany against Russia,
and To defend them when we are ex-
haus;ed by a fratricida! war.
And If Germany smashed us and an
nexes the coast of the North sea. what
sort OF back seat shalt we and France
occupy-we. who might have dictated
the destinies of western Europe il we
mad stood for civilization and not for
loans 10 Russia and capitalistic ex-
ploitation in Persia
II is fortunate for US that smashing
IS scilooiboy brag. We can display ire
nendous bravery and exhaust one an
other in the face Of inexhanstibie Rus
sia, (not more Inexhaus;iDle. however.
than we three shall be when we unite:)
but we can not smash one another.
For the present there is only one
thing 10 be done besides lighting for ali
weddings and towards. as well as focls
and mailman. until we learn to respect
one another ana respect our high
destiny as the joint standard bearers
OF western civilization as against the
half civilized eastern lcgions to whom
We have taught the art of killing By
machinery.
Ard that one thing IS TO set 10 work
10, al, ha NJ a a
treaty Of peace. which we must all
sign when we have had our bellyful OF
murder and destruction.
France. instead of using her surplus
income in abolishing F'renc, Sums and
building up French children into
strong men and women. has lent il u
Russia to strengthen the most tyranni-
cal government In Europe and to Sc
cure the interest on her loan. She
las entered into an unnatural alliance
with Russia against her more civilized
1eighbors.
we have no right to throw stones
at France on this account for we made
en- agreement with Russia of still
more sordidly commercial character
for the exploitation Of Persia witt
! capital that should have fed our starv-
| ing children.
! Now mark the consequences. Ger
many with hostile France on one side
and hostile Russia on the other. Is in @
/ position so dangerous that we here II
GU rsecure island can form no concep.
! ton Of it's intolerable tension.
! by our blindness we have brough,
! about the war. We have deliberately
added to the strain by making mill
! tary and naval anti-German alliance
with France without at the same time
balancing its effect by assuring Ger.
| many that IL she kept peace will
/ France we would not help Russis
against her nor in the last resource
| allow Russia to advance her frontiel
westward.
..Is it to be wondered that Potsdan
| militarism. with its chronic state o
panic. with militarism raised to des
peration by the menace of Russia
France and England. made a wild at
i tempt to cut Its way out after des
pairing appeal to us to let it fight ONT
TO two instead OF one to three?
/ Let us be Just to Potsdam. 1t ma!
serve Potsdam right that she fright
ened us all 30 much that we becam
incapable Of realizing that our terro
was nothing to hers. but IL We hat
heen true TO civilization and kept on
apital at home and our honor un
furnished by squalid commercial ad
ventures IN the east. we should hav
!. ,sss SC -ciled the situation and kept tn
European peace. History, VIII Q
!, crse us because after making war In
eyitable we run round at the last mo
inent begging everybody not to make
i disturbance