Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1914-09-01
: :: : 80 &
: THE SEQUEL OF CONFLICT (:
= : q

Sooner or later the nations engag-
ed In wal will find themselves spent
and weary. There will be victory for
some, defeat for others, and profit for
none. There can hardly be any last
ing laurels to any of the contending
parties. To- change the map Of Eu-
rope is not worth the price of a, sin
gle human life. Patriotism should
never rise above humanity.
The history of war is merely a sue
cession of blunders. Each treaty
of peace sows the seeds of future
strife. War offends our intelligence
and outrages our sympathies. We can
but stand aside and murmur: "The
pity of it all; the pity of it ALL"
l cannot lose my faith, however, that
the human race continues ito advance
despite all obstacles; it snatches
what benefits it can from every stu
alton. I am optimist enough to think
that a better and greater Europe and
a better and greater German empire
will emerge from the hopeless chaos
of today.
We are living in a day of great sur
prises. History does not often fur.
nish such examples Of sudden and
swift changes. The course of events
may lead into unexpected channels.
Europe is likely to change more
in the next year. than it has in the
last so. It is about time for the poll
tics Of Europe to emerge from the
mediaetal shadow of diplomacy and
be conducted in twentieth century
fashion. In my estimation the diplo.
mats have played a very important
part in bringing about the war by $50
lating Germany and Austria.
It will be necessary to reconstruct
the boundaries of Europe. Let it be
done this time SO justly, so humanely
and SO intelligently that there will be
no necessity for doing it over again
for some time. There is a close rela.
tionship, or should be, between racial
and territorial boundaries. Most
treaties have been dictated by the
c%onquering nations with total disre
gard for natural or fixed boundaries
l have a steady conviction that We
forming of a great Teutonic empire
t Germany, like other empires, wa
founded upon military supremacy
and maintained by a successful CON
!, mercial policy. 1t cannot be that. i
is to be laid away upon the shelves
: of history before it has developed it,
! full usefulness and power.
The German empire has not done
! all for civilization it was destined tt
do. The German contributions tt
science, commerce and literature arr
too real to permit the belief that it
work is finished and a new order il
!. to replace the old. Yet the panoram;
of changes may unfold with sucl
! startling ~suddenness that the dream
r Of Liberalist and Socialist may sool
! be realized.
War breeds socialism. At night tn,
opposing hosts rest on their arms
: searching the heavens for the riddle
of life and death, and wondering wha
: their tomorrow will bring forth
Around q thousand campfires tn
: steady conviction is being driver
home that this sacrifice of life Nigh
J, all be avoided.
1t seems difficult to realize tina
millions Of men, skilled by years Q
constant application, have left tn
s factory, the mill or the desk to vast
3 not only their time, but their yer,
f lives, and possibly the lives of thOs
dependent on them, to wage wal
brother against brother.
D The reasonable 1t appear
t that peace must quickly come. tn
more hopeless does it seem. an
convinced. that an Overwhelming mi