The Blackfoot optimist. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1907-1918, 1915-08-19
THE REASON FOR WAR

fields of France to the cold and frozen
heart Of Russia. But the stream of
madness flows very swiftly in these
days of war, and the torpid, sluggish,
frozen Russian has become aroused at
last, the summons to war has met
quick and ready response, the growl
of the bear is heard, his claws and cruel
mouth are stained with the blood of
his Western neighbors and his dull heart
is fired with what he thinks a noble
ambition, to sweep away at last the
barriers which for so many centuries
have, like "a wall Of adamant, withstood
his progress to the sea. At last an open
port is in sight, and that port Constan
tinople. A door of wider opportunity is
opening and soon Russia hopes that her
immense grain fields will prove verti-
BILE stream Of gold in providing food
for l..7nJ r,iliions heyond her borders.
Surely none can find fault with so noble
an enterprise, none can question the
right of Russia to improve and develop
her people and incidentally to increase
her wealth. Is she not justified in en-
tering the tremendous conflict and max
ing the most of that opportunity now
presented by joining the allies and win
ming her way not to the sun but to the
seat Single-handed, she, too, could not
hope to achieve her aim for many years
to come, because time, much time, is
needed yet to develop her resources and
teach her millions those lessons of obe-
dience, sacrifice and manhood absolute
ly essential in contending successfully
with such an antagonist as Germany.
Have we not at last the answer or
rather is not the answer to be found
by the combining of all the facts stated
regarding Germany, England, France
and Russias Is not the war due to the
, jealousies, fears and false ambitions OF
all these nations of Europe? Once again
r we must say no; but we will admit that
all of these are secondary or contribu
f tary causes.
: Let us try once again. Italy, the lane
Y of poetry and song, the land of art ani
sculpture, the home of the beautiful, thu
O aesthetic, the delicate; Italy whose won
G derful climate and more wonderful PEG
f pie draw to themselves all the admirers
. of the elevated, the pure, the charming
Italy, even Italy has at last drawn tn
O sword and become partner in this feas
r of rage, passion, blood and devilishness
! Moreover, her enemies say that Italy il
traitor, turncoat, a coward, waitin,
until her allies, Germany, and Austria
n are surrounded by the foe and weaken
y ed by many hard-fought battle, the
J. leaving them in the lurch and joining
v hands with the Allies because she be
r lieves the Allies will win and that sh
4 will be sharer in the spoils of war
My opinion is that such statements ar
d unjust to Italy. Rather do believ
: that Italy, finding herself allied wit
v nations who believe that scraps of pape
n may be destroyed at will, that solem
4 treaties may be abrogated if nationa
- ambitions run counter to them, has dc
!. cided to leave such partners, findin
" their methods incompatible with he
j. sense of reason and right and has chose
4 wisely the best time for doing SO. VIVA
, folly for her in the beginning of tn
% war to have taken such step as sh
,. now has taken! All the world wa
Il amazed, stunned, at such action on tn
% part of Germany. The confusion Q
IL ideas arising from such piece Of foil
70 the uncertainty as to her best futur
Ia policy quite natural under the cond
a lions, and the unquestioned ruin sh
u would bring upon herself if in revena
" at her disloyalty the armies of Austri
= "come down like wolf on the folt
20 their cohorts all cleaning in purple an
"a gold''; all these seem to me good an
"a sufficient reasons for Italy doing as sh
has done. If I find that my partne,
7. are rascals, shall I forfeit my self-r
- spect by continuing my partnership wit
them9
,e Have we not at last found the reason
IN the true reason, for the war in Italy
or decision; decision in harmony wit
4. the sentiments of the world condemn
" ing the ruthlessness and barbarity G
n. Germany and Austria? And once MOI
ne shall we say, most emphatically, no!
90 Let us not puzzle ourselves any flu
n ther, but say that the true reason fc
at this war and all the wars the worl
or has even seen is found in the eatin
Of an apple. Ages and ages ago, whe
ed the soul of man was born, there b.
r. gan a conflict in that soul entailing a
ly the sorrow, all the tears, all the bloo
H. shed and all the sin Of man. It will
,e. RECALLED that the scene was beautifv