The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1914-08-01
Noted Chicagoan Now in
Europe Discusses Phase of
the War Situation
WHAT LEADS TO THE STRIFE
Declares 1t Is Partly That
Lust for Blood Rules Men
Conflict Folly

George A. Dorsey, the curator OF
ethology, Field museum, says in The
Chicago Herald, the following in<dis-
cussing some of the phases of the
European Imbroglio: Do you and
want war? Do we want to be long
distance participants in what might
prove the most hellish war the world
has ever seeng
oh! / know what we will say to
this question, but will we be honest?
We spurn with indignation the mere
suggestion that we, you and ], want
this war to take place.
And yet, as the catastrophe ap~
proaches hour oy hour, we get more
and more excited, our pulse beats
faster, our breath grows shorter, our
eyes brighten, and at last we are glut-
ting tn the utmost our fundamental
savage, british nature to participate
by the vicariouS route our lust for
blood and death.
Human Nature British.
And this is one of the causes OF
war.
All say: WAR is hell; let there be
no more of it"
All say ii because it is the fashion
nowadays; 1t is. good form to say It.
Belonging to christian nations, we are
conscious OF sense-of duty In asSum- :
ing that attitude.
But L repeat: deep within us is fun
damental human nature as real, as
british today as ever before-oniy
now it is buried up deeper beneath the
accumulated lacquer of centuries oI
so-called civilization.
It is rather more difficult these days
for elemental traits to break through
than it was formerly. But not an hour
of day passes in Chicago or London
or Berlin or Pipetown that doesn't
furnish proof that life is still con-
test, the essential difference being IN
Technology and in rules.
With Flags and Music.
How otherwise can we explain this
thing that approaches like q car OF
Juggernaut, which men go out to
meet, protesting the WHILE, saying
they do not want to be crushed, ex-
planning they don't want to see their
fellowmen perish; and yet, in person
or vicariously, to q waving of flags
and marshal music, and in brilliant
garb. and even singing, they go out TO
meet the destroyer more than half
way?
Why? Here, as In so many otnSA
affairs of life, our alleged rationalistic
explanations are but descriptions OF
emotional associations of habitual
actions 1t is human nature, We say;
and we employ other terms, char-
acterize causes of war.
Thus, Servia, it is made appear, lights
for her very life; Austria seeks to
punish Servia for alleged insults; RUS
sia befriends Servia. because she thinks
she cannot afford to stand by while one
of her own kin suffers; Germany inter
feres because-and so, 1t goes on down
the list.
All Europe involved.
And possibly before we know 1t Ger
many's move has impelled France to
action, and that in turn England, ana
before the end is reached--oh long be
for the end is reached, all Europe is
involved and the whole civilized world
feels the pain and helps bear the cross.
A general European war couldn't last
q week without setting in motion
causes Of luanln distress which would,
sooner or later, be felt in every hamlet
in the world and which would detract,
in the long run, from the share of hap
piness and moral and physical Well-De-
ing. to which every individual on this
earth is entitled.
struggle for life, survival OF the
fittest-these terms mean just the same
In the new garb of balance OF power,
supremacy of the sea, supremacy IN ex-
ports.