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

Is this to be the last warf The ques |
ton is often asked and it receives many !
answers. Our peace-loving friends
would have us believe that if we would |
lay aside our army and navy the other
nations, admiring our fine example of
reliance on the principles of righteous
ness, would do likewise and so there
could be no future war. Furthermore,
the doing away with tie implements of
var would show such a splendid trust
in the a1nity and good will Of other ma.
tions that like feeling of peace and
good will to all mankind would be
aroused in them and therefore they
would, in consequence, be ashamed of
their former warlike propensities and
would with glad hearts and loud ac
claim, herald the dawn Of international
good will, the long-looked-for and
Earnestly prayed for realization Of the
dream of all sincere admirers Of the
Prince of Peace. What a beautiful
faith in the inherent nobility Of man-
kind shines forth in the belief Of our
pacifist friends!
Then, again, the men Of war-the men
Of Belial, they might be termed by the
pacifists-hold just the opposite view
and for just the opposite reason. They
say that since war has always existed in
the world, due to the quite reasonable
ambition to make ones own national
ideals paramount, or because Of man
kind natural greed and the baser mo-
tives common to all, that therefore war
will always continue, at least for many
generations to come until the ideals of
the world have been elevated far above
the present standard.
Still others see in war splendid results
They hold that it stimulates, purifies
and ennobles by reason of its terrible
sufferings, sacrifices and the giving up
of all worthy aims. They would re-
call the splendid results of our war fol-
independence and our more terrible war
I1VI VI luc 1HtcRIlty VI
our nation when the blue and gray for
got their brotherhood in their loyalty
to their idealism.
Many other answers can be found t.
. speak the uncertainty of the world al
to whether or no this most terrible O.
all wars our world has seen is to be tn,
last great conflict Of the nations.
Perhaps if we should consider som,
e of the reasons given for the present wa
) we might be better able to give salts
q factory answer.
:. Among the reasons presented are:
!. German imperialism and German
> ambition. Germany's will to win he
place in the sun and Germany's ruth
'e lessness in SO doing, as witnessed b,
y the ruin of Belgium. 1t is said that i
q Germany should achieve her aims an,
p win the place in the sun she so ardentl,
II desires, other nations would soon fin,
IS themselves eclipsed and more than that
% finally subject to the wonderful energ,
10 and tremendous force of the Teutol
"a giant. So that the safety of the worl
+ demands an impeachment placed in tn
N way of such contingency. This opin
ion Of the nations seems justified b
y the facts of the war thus far made evi
n, dent. And yet feel sure we have no
stated the ultimate reason for the wal
e, 2. Again, many find in England
is jealousy and alarm at Germany's mai
is vellous commercial expansion the res
r reason for the war. For many year
of now England has been mistress of tn
re sea. Her proud title is justified by tn
W fact that the sun never sets on her wild
empire; that the numerous colonies nee
1T the protection of the mighty fleet, an
Sc more than all that where English polio
is dominant there the races of mankin
Of are benefited by those ideals of iustic
es and thrift which have been approve
e. as sound by the greatest teacher til
Of world has ever seen, the Galilean.
1t is claimed that Germany's idea
- are in direct conflict with those q
: England and that the world approve
our English cousins in taking up tn
gage thrown down by Germany whe
she trampled into dust and blood he
Belgian neighbors, thereby clearly gu
raging that sense of justice and mere
common to mankind So that here, il
deed, is found reason adequate for tn
war. However, this may be, I will be
to differ from this most reasonable co,
clusion and state most emphatically thu
we have not yet found the reason fl
the war.
3. Another theory is the deep seate
revenge of France. About forty yea
ago the heart of France was sorel
wounded by the loss Of her two beaut
full daughters, Alsace and Lorrain
n