The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1915-01-14
WRITER TELLS OF
CAUSES OF WAR
Trout Lake. Wash. Jan. 7. 1915.

Trout Lake, WASH, Jan. Z, 1915.
Mr.. Editor: | have finished reading
Alex Rahm's letter in the last issue of
your valued paper, and | trust you will
grant me space to correct, if possible.
the impression Mr.. Rshm's letter is
apt TO leave upon the mind of the read
er. Mr.. Rshm compares with fine sar-
easm the beautiful (?) bsrbarie time of
the advent Of the Prince of Peace,
with our modern civilization so rich in
machine guns and az centimeter cannon.
| have no quarrel with MIR. Rahm's
conception of history. but venture the
assertion that very few would care to
see the world go back to the ancient
methods of warfare and see reinstated
the battle ak and the sword, and the
wholesale slaughter of the men, women
and chilrden of the conquered people.
1t is indeed long step from the song
of the angels on the plains of Bethe-
hem to a modern battlefield and to the
superficial observer it may appear any
thing but a step forward. And yet,
who is there among US competent to
take an inventory of the spiritual de-
velopment that has taken place in the
human makeup since that time?
But instead of following the time
honored precedent of casting the blame
for human folly upon some one man or
woman, would it not he more in har-
mony with our profession of culture
and civilization to display little more
of the one attribute, above all others.
that the Master understood the para
mount weakness of humanity when
upon one occasion, where there seemed
no room for a divided opinion. He
nevertheless challenged the multitude
to cast the first stone.
1t is all very well to curse and damn
the Kaiser, but it does not speak we'll
for the use we have made of the divine
precepts that have been our heritage
these past centuries. Instead of cen-
centrating upon a curse, let US concen-
trate upon our own folly and error, and
perhaps, we might discover that we
ourselves come in for our share of the
responsibility not only for the war, but
for every other wrong and evil that
stalks rampant through the world today.
1t is not my intention to discuss the
events that led up to this deplorable
conflict. In the face of unanswerable
facts, most men will cling tenaciOusly
to precOnceived opinions or they will
be swayed hither and thither, by every
plausible theory advanced.
The thought | wish to bring out and
emphasize is fundamental factor for
the existence and perpetuation of con-
ditions that generate and foster these
deplorable outbreaks of passion. The
human race has but dim conception of
the purpose of the Divine mind in call
ing into being creatures possessed of
attributes pertaining to his physical,
mental and spiritual make up. Attri-
butes that are TO serve for our develop
ment and progress. This conception is,
however, clouded only as it pertains to
his mental and spiritual nature. As
regards the physical and material, we
are all agreed, leaving no room for ar
gument 1t is our privilege to grow
fine, healthy bodies and use all the ia
cultes with which this body is en-
dowed, to gather together, as our own
personal property, as much of the ma
terial wealth of this world as possible.
What matters it that our gain is anoth-
er's'loss; aren't we playing the game
according to rules that are approved
and accepted? And here lies the cruX
of the whole matter. This individual
mania for the accumulation of wealth
has become international. Nations act
ing as individuals, displaying all the
cunning, jealousy and hatred of indi-
viduals, hence the strife and conflict on
such scale that fairly staggers the
imagination and paralyses the moral
senses.
And yet humanity seems to require
jolt of just this magnitude to bring it
to a realization of where we are at.
The fight for commercial supremacy
of one man over another, however
brutal and productive of suffering and
hardship it may be, we pass by unheed-
ed we accept the facts asApart of the
game, shrug of the shoulders and the
incident is forgotten. 1t is part of
system that has always been and al
ways will be.
But thanks to the Divine impulse
planted in the human soul, we are be-
coming cognizant that right here we
are going to run up against a Divine
law that sooner or later will compel
recognition. By and by we will realize
that man is a dual being, and that we
have ignored and smOthered his spirit
ual attributes quite long enough. 1t is
time we gave the other man, the spir-
itual part of man, a chance to assert
himself in the management of earth's
affairs.
Commerce will then be the servant of
mankind and not its master. Wealth
will be produced for the use of all the
children of men, instead of for a few.
Now then, are we doing our part
towards bringing about this readjust-
ment of affairs? In so far as we are
not, we are jointly and severally re-
sponsible for the chaotic conditions in
Europe, Mexico, yes, and even in Col.
orsdo
| have brought out this phase Of the
question of possibility because il
seems TO be most studously avoided by
the individual writer, the press aud the
pulpit. 1t lis so much easier to hurl
anathemas against the Kaiser or the
German military machine, forgetting
that were we placed in their positions
we would do exactly as they are doing,
only perhaps not quite so efficiently,
Mr. Editor, the world is now resping
a harvest which is true yield of the
seed that has been sown these past
centuries. The great overshadowing
question for humanity to solve is, shall
we go on sowing this kind of seed.
Remember, we are now doing it con-
sciously; we know the seed, and we
know the harvest. 1t is up to US.
Thinking men and women the world
over are raising the question whether
man hasn't been neglecting the most
important part of himself all these
years. Now please don't understand