The Lancaster news. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1905-current, 1914-09-29
The Motive of the War
The Outlook


poses. One has enlisted for love of
country, one in the hope OF booty;
one for the soldiers wage; one for
mere love OF adventure. But the
purpose of the regiment is neither
one of these onr all OF them COM
bined. Its members rarely COM
prehend the purpose OF its colonel
and never comprehend the part it is
appointed to play nthe part of the
campaign.
The purpose of this war is as lit
tie determined by the motives of the
nations engaged in it as is the pur-
pose OF battle by the motives of
the private soldiers.
Individuals generally, nations al
ways, act from mixed motives. The
motives of the combatants in this
war, as variously imputed to them
by friends and foes, may be describ-
ed as follows:
The motive of Austria, partly an
indignant resolve to punish Servia
for supposed conspiracy leading to
th2 assassination OF the Austrian
Prince. partly an ambition to annex
Seryia TO the Austrian empire. as
Bosnia and Herzegovina had been
previously annexed, partly desire
to secure a port on the Aegean sea
for the development of Austrian
commerce.
The motive Of Servia, to preserve
her national existence and perhaps
to add to her national power and
prestige by annexing Bosnia and
Herzegovina.
The motive Of Russia, partly to
protect her kin in the Balkan states
from the Austrians, partly to secure
for herself, If any partition OF the
Balkan states results from the war.
as are in that partition and long
desired access to the Mediterranean.
The motive OF Germany, partly to
aid her Germanic ally in her punitive
expedition against Servia, partly to
secure through Austria access TO the
4Ggean and the Mediterranean, part
ly to protect herself from an appre-
hended invasion by Russia and pos
sible attack from France.
The motive of Belgium to preserve
her neutrality against the invasion
OF Germany.
The motive of France, partly to
aid Belgium in her just war of de-
Tense, party TO defend herself against
the invasion threatened by Germany.
partly to recover for herself the pro-
vinces OF Alsace and Lorraine taken
from her by Germany in the Franco
German war
The motive Of England, partly TO
protect the neutrality of Belgium.
which she had pledged herself to
protect, partly to protect France
from what she regards as an uniusti-
led attack, and partly to curb what
she regards as the ambitious designs
OF Germany and TO maintain the bal
ance Of power OF Europe.
The motive Of Japan, partly to full
fill her pledges to England. partly to
get even with Germany for Ger
many's interference with japan
possession of the fruits OF her vic
tory in her war with China, partly TO
establish her supremacy in the East
partly to bring about friendly rela-
tlons with Russia, her old-time enc
my, and thus secure for herself peace
in her occupation OF Korea and Man
churia, partly probably TO make a
permanent alliance with China by
giving that country Kiauchau after
having won it from Germany, and
partly to get recognized place i'm
i!o International councils OF :hc
civilized world
Out of this chaos OF conflicting
motives il is impossible 10 construct
n purpose common to the powers on
either side. Still less is it possible to
deduce the true Interpretation and
meaning of this war from the deCla-
rations of the comhatants. Not the
catch-words of international diplom
acy, but the Fundamental and often
forgotten currents OF history. deter
mine on which side the stars are
fighting.
n History affords abundant illustra-
&Tion OF this truth.
The Napoleonic wars Degan in an
attempt to drive the Bourbon ont OF
France; they ended in an attempt TO
establish a Napoleon empire over
EurOne The allies hinad to do