The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1915-03-13

force. the power OF public opinion.
the power OF human conscience
that refuses 10 accept the double
standard % morality. one for the
individual. one FOR the state.
The real criminal IN this war Is
no one man. nor clique. or ma
Ton. To IL the way-system with
the ideal OF military efficiency.
proficiency. the art of collective
murder. the perfection OF saw
aG'ry. as Intellectual efficiency Is
the perfection OF civilization. And
when civilization calls savagery
10 Its aid, sayageTy viii take It's
pay. and after its own fashion.
But barbarlsm dare not boast
OF its deeds today Only now and
then hardened sinner ventures
10 hint the truth. Its Alexan-
ders, is Caesars. its Tapoleous
and It's Bismarks and their mod
eru limitations can no longer
sWaEser at the front OF the line
lhey dare not show themselves
Tor what they are In the next
generation let Us hope the move
ment VIII got bit further Let
"a hope that no one will dare TO
b1ng on war. for fear that the
people will find him out This
war was no war OF the people
not OF any nation concerned
us beginning was possible only
through secrecy and trickery. op-
Grating through a defectiye h.
cause thoroughly medieval. DO
htical system. A German friend
writes me. Europe has Eot used
10 carrying out its political
schemes, not through war. but
through warsCares. IL has de-
Neloped sort OF bluffsystem Ike
lnat OF poker The oftener this
plan rs tried the harder one must
push the bluff In an ordinary
crisis the chances would be 50 TO
~ out OF a hundred for peace
Inc pressure OF the German army
Tor victory brought these chances
dred"
But the relative guilt OF militant
ana exploiting nations is a prob
Diem Of minor import. No one
nation stands alone In this mat
Ter, and all the civilized worS
rs guilty Of Contributary negli-
Eence, We hear on every side.
today the demand for Of prepared.
ness Tor peace. But such prepare
tlon Is LETT in private hands. with
out backing OF finance while the
Hallon spends untold millions on
H,aleIlalS Tor war. Not Is Germany
alone, but In every civilized ma
ton In its degree the Terrible
weapons OF distinctions are in
the hands Of men TO whom war
Is the sole profess ions. men who
play with war as boys plav with
llTecfackers. To thus die is the
uuty OF the people in evry work
ing nation. Soldat sein. Steuer
zahlen. Mural haltOn. The sol
dIer: pay taxes. mouth shut
these are duties OF the common
man. but the opinion OF the world
demands more than this. and so
ne state Is brought before the
par OF moral law to answer for
ITS deiinance Of public opinion.
L'lore TINS Judge the most power
Iully armed nation history has
known bubbles and prevaricates.
even as a yaErant in a pOIIce
court. 'Qui s'e%Cuse. s'accuse
The severest accusations are
those framed by whining apolc-
Elsts. In the boys litany OF
frederick Palmer are these
words, fitted for nations as well
as boys. Il will not be a coward
the coward strikes first"
And now the game OF war
war TO prevent war" desired so
eagerly by its military particI-
pants Is becoming a horror so hat
ed. so overwhelming. so brutallv
terrible. that no one dare stand
sponsor for H.. and 70 may be thar
no one viii dare stand responsible
Tor any other war Of International
rum Tor some ages to come.