Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1915-02-09
Tho War.

Ihat TERRIBLE, cruel anu uestTuCtiNe
war continues to thunder along In
Europe, and although the whole world
Is feeling the baneful results, 1t Is
safe to say that only a small per cent
is considering the aus thereof.
Why this war and who or what Is
responsible for It?
We have tried to reason the thing
out in a way to justify England, with
out success, and we have been no
more successful when we try to rea-
son 1t out in a way to justify Ger
many.
Austria said she went IT. to punish
the murder Of her prince. That is
buncombe. Russia said she went In
to prevent Austria from overruning
Slavic Servia. That is buncombe.
Germany says she went in to defend
Austria. That is buncombe. France
says she went in because Of obliga-
tons to Russia. That Is buncombe.
England says she went in to defend
Belgian neutrality. That Is buncombe.
1t was known Of all men Of all ma
tons from long before the breaking
out Of this war that Germany and
Austria were in alliance on n side,
and France and Russia were In ALL
ance on the other side, and that Eng
land had an understanding that would
throw her on the side Of France and
Russia If her interest would make 1t
appear desirable to go that way. There
is no longer a great deal Of reason to
doubt that Belgium has all along been
in alliance with England and France
against Germany and that defense of
her neutrality would be made the pre-
text for her fighting.
Then what was the reason of 1t all.
Commercial jealousy-worship Of
mammon.
German ambition had long been
fired with a desire to wrest CONNER
cial and financial supremacy from
England. 1t was clear that she had
made tremendous progress in the
matter Of commercial supremacy and
financial supremacy.
England saw clearly what all the
world sees now hat IL 1t had been
France, Russia and Belgium alone
against Germany and Austria, Ger
many would have won, and then
standing on a pinnacle Of practically
undisputed power, she would next fin
ish Off England at her leisure, with
the result that the long continued
contest for commercial and financial
supremacy would be settled in favor
Of Germany.
At the bottom Of 1t all then is what?
Nothing but gold, greed of gold and
power.
And what an object for the making
Of a charnel house Of Europe and the
overturning of a world! Greed Of
gold and power.
There Is nothing the matter with
the teachings of Christ, or with real
Christianity; but there Is something
fearfully wrong with the individuals
anu UdllOHS WHICH, i've dIlu nave lIlCil
being in hypocritical professions Of
Christianity.
Everybody knows that this terrible
riot of blood and ruin could not pos
sibly have its origin in real Christian
ity and that no really Christian ma
ton could possibly be n party to it.
The highest sentiment of this terri
BILE war is Mammon. who is probably
responsible for more horror and crime
than any other known cause.
And the pity Of it is that which,
ever side wins, in the sense the con-
tending sides are trying to win, the
victory will go to Mammon: but II the
terrible war should come to a draw,
then maybe the world will be brought
to realize the futility Of it all, and be-
come resigned to start over OF the
only really safe foundation and build
up a new kingdom under the banner
Of the Prince of Peace.