The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1915-05-29
Why Italy Goes to War.
~ Or. FRANK CRANE
Copyright. 1918. BY Frank Crans)

Italy goes 10 war simply because she
has been living with that end in view.
She has been practicing war for years.
When you have been preparing for q
certain game for long time and the
opportunity comes to play it, you natural
ly want TO go in.
Italy has been under the same sys-
TEN of military preparedness that pre-
walls in every country in Europe. That
means that some member. and often
the brightest member Of almost every
family is in the army.
The one vision that glows in army
circles is the chance to fight. Only In
war is promotion rapid, occasions for
advancement frequent.
Thus we see the flower Of the whole
nation, under the miltaristic scheme,
living in hope of war as means OF dis
tinction. as the goal Of ambition.
In the present crisis an enormous pop
ular enthusiasm for getting into the gem
eral row of Europe is caused by the fact
that ideals of military glory have been
steadily inculcated by the government.
The soldier Of the family Is exalted.
The baker and the tailor Of the family
are looked down upon. Everywhere the
gold braid and the feathered cap, the
uniform, and the clanking sabre cast
spell upon the people Their imagination
is fired War is great national high
links. and the boys all want to play.
Among a citizenship engaged in az.
riculture, commerce. and the arts the
alleged causes for war with Austria
would be laughed at. Among citizens
whose chief training is the soldier game
those causes will do as well as any others.
In Italy il is said that every three
working people carry soldier on their
backs. 1t is the soldier who has the
brains usually. He is educated ut gov
eminent expense. He wears fine clothes
has a life Of show and much leisure, and
the three workmen on whom he rides
look up to him with envy.
Thus does militarism poison the wells
Of nations fancy. debauch It's intel
Iigence, prostitute its reasoning power
and hypnotic its will.
Only few, the little group OF Social
| lists, keep their heads; but, their pro-
tests are drowned in the universal roar.
So Italy goes to war. She will leave
million possibly of her choicest youth
mangled or dead upon the battlefield.
She will desolate thousands OF her
homes. one Will Itiucf WIG cNohosA.aS
condition of her populace infinitely
worse than it is now, and 1t Is bad
enough.
After her doubtless Greece and her
Balkan neighbors will be sucked into
the maelstrom. Militarism will have its
perfect work.
Shall we also enter in? Have we no
intelligence but the rotton reasoning OF
Europe?
Or shall America not rather seize
great ideal, see the great vision, pro.
claim the great truth, that 1t is not ma
tional defense We want, but WORLD
GOVERNMENT?
We have two courses open: the down.
ward path of military preparedness, now
crowded with old-world nations hasten
ing hellward. and the upward path.
which is to begin at once an active cam
paign for world federation.
We are being inevitably drawn into
this world quarrel. Let us enter with
definite, constructive program. Let Us
point TO the only way out. Let US not
be merely another one Of the contending
kites and crows"