The Irish standard., 1915-02-06
THE WORLDS WAR AND PEACE Talk

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
international disputes were signed,
and the peace advocates were in dulci
jubiIo. Mr.. Andrew Carnegie built a
palace for the peace dove. But all the
while no nation placed complete trust
in the others professions, because
none was a disinterested party. And
now, by the irony of fate, the Gear
of Russia, who called the first peace
congress, was chiefly instrumental in
reopening the door to Mars.
Some blame the resulting cataclysm
on the two great alliances of powers
the Triple Alliance Germany, Aus
tria and italy, and the Triple Entente
PRUSSIA, France and England). They
say Bismarck's attempt to arrange for
a coalition strong enough to prevent
war induced England, France and
Russia to form confederation.
This looks plausible. But it concerns
itself with surface indications only.
Why did Bismarck and his successors
not feel secure in their power? Partly
perhaps, because they were too sus-
picious, and partly because they had
learned the lessons of history and did
not close their eyes to international
antagonism, envy and jealousy insep-
arably bound up with human nature in
it's present state of intellectual and
moral progress.
AS long as there are conflicting
creeds and until the generality of
men become practical followers of the
Prince of Peace in their everyday
lives, sympathies, feelings and aspi-
rations, all took of international good
will, complete disarmament, effective
arbitration, etc., is mere peace piffle.
Peace Not Born of Speeches.
Peace is the result of conduct based
on genuinely Christian principles. 1t
is not born of speeches. It presup-
poses well-balanced progress.
During the last one hundred and
fifty years mankind has advanced by
leaps and bounds in the field of tech
nichal progress. But morally it has
almost remained at a standstill, as is
evidenced by the popularity of filthy
literature, suggestive dancing and in
decent fashions. Ingenious scientists
and inventors have harnessed the
0f OF VII
and women, through their rejection of
Christianity, yea, even of the belief in
a hereafter, have let their passions
run riot.
Generally speaking, mans power
over the forces of destruction has in.
creased enormously. But his control
over himself has suffered. Vice and
passion claimed more victims, while
our grandest technical triumphs were
celebrated in engines of destruction.
And nations are only aggregations of
families.
Titanic Forces Threaten Ruin.
Hence, in the words of Charles
Devas political Economy, p. S5),
the very progress of invention has
imposed on each nation that values its
national existence heavy burden of
costly ornaments" AS the one-sided
development continued, the tension
finally reached the breaking point, re-
leasing titanic forces that threatened
the ruin of treasures stored up during
centuries Of toll and study. Tens of
thousands of the healthiest and most
promising men and young men in
Germany, France, Russia, England,
Austria and Servia are going to a
premature grave, cut down in their
strength by Mars triumphant" "Mis-
cry, bitter misery" writes DR.. F.
Zopf in the Allgemeine Rundschau,
of Munich tissue of Aug. sth), "we
had to bear thus far; but threefold, a
hundredfold, yea, millionfold misery
will soon appear, now that the wild
cavalcade of apocalyptical cavalry has
started on it's course of destruction.
The noblest domestic happiness is
suddenly blasted. The father is
snatched away from his weeping chill
dren; the husband from his wife; the
son from his aging mother"
And yet this, the most terrible
clash of arms in the worlds history
is fraught with blessings also. Men
in the very midst of the din and suf-
fering and bloodshed tell us so. From
light-hearted France come stories of
how serious thoughts have driven
frivolity from many a mind. In all
the belligerent countries many proud
and self-suff1cient people look to
Heaven for help. Describing condi-
tions in Germany, DR.. F. Zopfl says
graphically:
Sees In scourge of War Blessing.
This war will sweep over our coun-
try like thunderstorm, which works
havoc, and yet becomes a source of
blessing. During the long and beau
tiful summer time everything blooms
and sprouts under the beneficent rays
of the sun. But in the swamps and
lowlands poisonous vapors gather,
many dangerous plants shoot up, and
men become indolent and apathetic