Omaha daily bee., 1914-08-07
Watterson's War Sermon
Louisville Courier-Journai


Nations 20 mad men do Il was soldier who
said War Is hell" The mystery OF life and death
IL nowhere impenetrabe as when taking its
flight above the Grade and the Il wings its
to the edge OF the battlefield and hovers over the
slain. Whence, wherefore, TO what end7
Before the awful spectacle of general European
war with it's appalling impendencies the thoughtful
Americans Will hesitate before taking sides He
stands ashast. II lie the brotherhood Of man. not
the rights and of nations that gains posses
sion of his mind heart yesterday the presi-
dent OF the United States dlscoursing sweetiy
about moral forces in MexicO-savsge and lawless
Mexico-today behold England. Germany and France
the last syllable Of recorded civilization upon their
ips-the final word of science and srt-et
others threats, barbaric In the middle
Where be your now, oh, Woodrow Wilson.
where your dollars, Andrew Carnegie?
The world has long way to travel before II
reaches the Mount OF Olives. 10. we build house
Of cards in the low country. Comes wind across
the North sea in moment TO blow II down. Comes
blast from the hell the Hspsburgs made and not
stone remains. Truly the Home OF Tragedy
accursed of Godi Was it not enough that self
slaughter and tho assassin had done to work the
DEVILS will the Danube that a desolate old
should be left to end the drama with conflagra-
ton sweeping across the Rhine to the Rhone and
the Seine to tho Severn and the Clyde? What ia
Servta TO England what to France, that they should
bleed for II? And after all is over how shall the
balance OF powers stand?
It Is but a Eamble-s gamble in the lives Of men,
the hearts OF and children The Baroness
suttner. in Of her books tells US how she
first to set herself a prestess of peace.
Her interest took It's rise from several First
of all, her immediate experience Of the effect OF
She the flower OF Austra's youth brought
home either dead mutated she the suffering
Of wives and mothers: she that general
thing these out of petty disputes and
that very rarely any great principle was at stake.
Ana fhakh aoa
was that in ell the conversation which she heard
in court circles, treated simply a noble
game. The officers spoke OF It in the most heartless
way and considered the peasantry nothing but
pawns and machines. to be used for their winning
of tho game. She also how continually de-
stroyed the civilization that years had gained. SO
that the nations simply going around in
circle 1t built up beautiful structure OF mind soul
and material things during the Of peace. and
then proceeded to knock it down again. There then
began TO to her vision of a order for
the world. and she began Of splendid effort
that ended only in her death few months ago.
In the twfnklIng Of eye everything this great
woman hated and feared has come to pass. ut will
be the bloodiest Of wars" General Nelson A..
Miles commanding authority, "and the last" That
is to say, II will be destructive that there can
be another. The single abatement OF horror is
that It cannot be OF long duration.
We shall soon the and power of the
airship and the torpedo boat. There is to
believe that the modern cruiser Is already obsolete
and that dreadnaughts and super dreadnaughts are
doomed because they no longer be safe from the
submarine at find security against the pers
| in the air above them On the ocean in narrow
waters they at the mercy of the submersibe
torpedo carrier. Sir Percy Scott in his forecast of
/ the future, assuming that submarine cannot fight
! submarine. the end OF warfare altogether.
| Neither numbers skill are TO avail. Nothing
win live afoat. for IL opposed nations have provided
] themselves with a sufficiency of submarines, they
can destroy everything which hide from these
vessels below the surface.
It Is the human, not the mechanical. side of 1t
| which is most at stake in the minds and hearts Of
dsnterested Observers and the extent of this cannot
| be exaggerated All these nations have been pre-
pairing for this during more than a generation We
may the meaning of the anti-miItartat dis
cussons France; the stubborn refusal of Germany
| to consider disarmament; the quandary of England,
At least Germany considers herself prepared. Whether
Austria viii prove broken reed or superior equip
| ment and soldiership will make good the disparity
OF forces who ten? May not Paris be in dan
| gerY Can England and Russia unlmber Ndck
enough? Only the results-the God Of Battles-can
! tell