The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-01-01
Against Bloodshed and Destruc-
ton 1t VIII Place Heroic
Sacrifices Of Europe.

To attempt to estimate the value or tno
meaning OF 1914 in human history at this
moment, close 10 the event, In futile and
foolish. The single fact. unmista kable
now to all who have lived through 1t. is
that since the French Revolution first
overfiowed into Europe no year has con-
tanned events which so Immediately af-
fected such a wide field of human life.
industry. happiness, as that which has
now closed. Since the French Revolution
nothing in world history has been com
parable TO the great war.
II is natural that the very magnitude
Of the struggle. tho extent to which II
has swept away the theories, the beliefs.
the ideals OF the contemporary world, the
completeness with which IL has demolished
all the bulwarks and protection which an
optimistic period had relied upon to save
IL from the mlseries and the msfortunes
OF other centuries. has left tho world
helpless, bewildered, aware OF the great
ness Of the thing that has happened, in
capable OF foreseeng what it's effect is to
be upon the mental. the spiritual world
that is to come after the struggle has
ended.
ton In to suggest that the whole social,
intellectual fabric OF the nineteenth CEN
fury is now TO be destroyed 10y fire az
tremendous, as destructive as the great
conhagration whioh waged In the stubble
field which the eighteenth century had be
come, and when at last It had died out
was perceived 10 have destroyed perma-
nently something approaching whole
world. Yet a. no man in lIe2 could
foresee, interpret, understand tn graf
Revolution, 80 to-day the great war re-
mains in It's meaning. perhaps fortunately,
conceivably unfortunately. a mystery, In
soluble, incomprchensble.
Such being the fact II is natural Il IL
inevitable that the bey'ldered contem-
porary mind should centre its EFFORT not
upon any attempt to interpret the mean
ing OF the great struggle for the tuture
but 70 Ak upon nation, a race, an al
lance, the responsibility for something
which as IL day by day grows In magni-
tuds comes more and moro To resemble
one OF the few great confiagra lions winch
seem to have broi;en out not as result OF
political intrigue. but rather by reason
OF some sort OF intellectual. moral spon-
taneous combustion and changed the whole
face OF life, the forms Of social existence.
The Cause of No value Vow.
Il is this very fac. which makes patiently
idle the examination OF the cause OF the
great war Precisely as our press and
public speech is now filed with tho discus
sion of scraps OF paper" Belgian neu-
trality, places in tho sun" and a whole
host OF similar details, the Europe OF l732
must have seen in the killing OF French
royalty the occasion. the Immediate cause
OF the great Revolutionary war. Yet 10
history. 10 all future time. the causes. the
preliminary Incidents In the wars OF the
French Nevolution. the early campaigns
themselves, have become utterly OF nc
value.
In the same fashion. is 1t not possible
that the future, looking back over the
first decade and half OF the twentieth
century. the last years OF the nineteenth
will content Itself with a hurried summary
of the steps by which Europe with It's
Asiatic. African, American and Australian
anneNes, descended the steps which in
eVitably and unavodably led 20 world
war, ana this done. hasten on with small
concern for the question of real or ian
cied moral responsibilities TO discussion
Of the battles. tho campa igns, the great
men. the brave deeds which were the
memorable Incidents in the making over
OF tho whole planet
From such an angle 1t is possible now
TO look back and see the steps, slowly be-
coming clear, as the great fac, OF the wal
j
turn back to 1895. when Marchand Went
to Fashoda and France and England
stood on the brink Of war, and FIX the
time when there began the fnal settle
ment OF Anglo-Freuch differences. Al
ready FAR or, dimiy. British Statesmen
perceived the rising OF a great modern
Germany, realized that there was appear
ing u new rival new challenger fc'
world empire, and realizing this made d
Anal SET lenpnt with France.
The whole diplomacy Of RiSnar'l
q m ounted to keeping France. England
Russia, the three great natural rivals Of
Germany. separated The historic policy
OF British statesmanship had always beer
20 unite all tho weaker Powers OF tn,
Continent against the one great Power
which was the rival OF England
From 1898 to 1914 what was actually
going on was duel between British anC
German diplomacy. More and more eacl
year two great nations felt themselve!
becoming rivals. More and more eacl
sought 10 prepare for the inevitable. Ger
many by making ornaments. Britain u!
making alliances. each. perhaps. confident
that she was serving the cause Of peace.
In this silent advance toward conflict
1905 il the next date after 1898, Their
France forever looking over at her los
provinces, no longer chauvinistic but for
ever unreconciled having drawn close e
l.nklhuQ, anu ikurNld, fTdN|t = any ufllll
involved in an unsuccessful war, Germany
struck the first blow. not at France. but
in an effort 10 separate France from
England. In 1905 the Kaiser went Il
Tangier. But France and England die
not separate--drew closer together.
Russia Drawn Near 10 England,
Again, in 1908. Austria annexed Bosnia
began the march 20 the d1gean which wa
| 10 obliteratR the southern Saws. Thii
| time Russian protest failed but Russia
Inundated, drew near TO England. Eng
! land and Russia. az England and France
| mad, forgot old Jealousies, accommodates
old rivalries, Then, at last. France Rus
sla and England stood not yet united 10y
| treaty. but in fact drawn together 10y
common fear or hatred, OF Germany,
| How near this approach was to an ALI
ance 1911 showed when Agadir suddenly
| reopened the Moroccan question and Eng
| land frankly announced her readiness Il
! fight with France, and Russia's loyalty
/ to her ally was assured. After 1911
| there never was any real hope Of peace
I In EurDua without struggle Nv SLOW