Evening star., 1915-06-17

acts for which man, and man alone, is
responsible.
1T is not race war: on the con-
trary, the races are quite inexplicably
mixed. Latin joins with Saxon: the
Frank is the ally of the Slav; while in
the opposing ranks Teuton and Turk
fight side by side.
Neither is it a religious war. On the
Bosporus the cross and the crescent
make common cause: Protestant kali
ser and Catholic emperor have linked
their fortunes together and hurl their
which are indiscriminately mingled
communicates of the Greek Church
of the Church of Rome and Of the
Church of England,
''Nor vet is it rivalry between
families. The leading actors in this
unpre cedented tragedy are related by
blood. but kinship seems t" be neg
liGible factor-it explains neither
friendships nor enmIties-
NO race. religion and family, each
with many wars TO answer for, can
plead not guilty in the present inquiry.
SO far as can be judged. there appears
upon the surface no cause that ny any
known standard can be regarded as
ADEQUATE for such a cataclysm as we
are now witnessing.
The notes that passed from chan
celery to chancellery were couched IN
most friendly language. These notes
could not have been intended to deceive.
SoyereignS visited each other ana We're
received with every evidence OF cor
IfaIity and good will. This hospitality
could not have been Insincere.
Zach ruler declared that ne dld not
wish war. would they all say this If
an adequate cause for war had actu-
ally existed" They have all denied re-
sponsibility for the war-would they
have done so if they had regarded the
war as either necessary or desirable.
False Philosophy.
But there is even better proof; aye.
indisputable proof. that no sufficient
cause eXisted-viz., the CONCLUSION 10
be drawn from inaction.
Would not these rulers have busted
themselves trying to save their sub
jects by the eradication of the cause
had they known of the existence of
such cause? Would they have spent
their time in social festivities and in
exchanging compliments had they
known that they were on the brink of
war? II is inconceivable! 1t would be
a gross libel on them-one and all
to charge such a Wanton disregard OF
their sacred duty.
have correctly analyzed the situation
the war is the natural result of
false philosophy. Theories of life are
invisible, but they control for good or
for evil They enter our very being.
and may be as deadly to the moral
man as germs of disease. taken into
the body. are deadly to the physical
man. The fundamental precept of this
false philosophy is that might makes
right 1t is not proclaimed now a.
loudly it once was. but it is often
acted upon in particular cases by those
who would be unwilling to indorse it
as a general principle.
THE individual makes this maxim
his excuse for violating three COM
mandments that stand in his way: this
maxim also leads nations to violate
these same three commandments for
the same purpose, but on a larger
scale.
strange that men should fail TO ap-
ply TO nations the moral principles
which are now so generally applied to
the individual units of nation,
THE tendency is to condemn the vio-
lation of these commandments not in
proportion to the injury done. but rath-
er in inverse proportion. No one will
dispute the validity of the injunction
against coveteousness long as the
object coveted is of little value or not
greatly desired: but the last and all in
elusive specifications, viz, 'or ANYTHING
that is thy neighbours is sometimes
interpreted by nations to except
neighbor's vineyard or neighbors
tOVeteOuSneSS turns to
might as the principle to be invoked
and the greater the unlawful desire
the irmer the faith in the false prin-
ciple.
Violates Commandment.
Conquest is the word used to de-
scribe the means employed for secur-
ing the thing desired, If the force is
employed by nation, and conquest
violates the commandments--tho shalt
not steal and thou shalt not kill
by what sophistry can rulers con-
vince themselves that while petit lar
ceny is criminal, grand larceny is pa
triotic; that while it is reprehensible
for one man to kill another for his
money, it is glorious for ons nation to
put to the sword the habitants of an
other nation in order to extend boun-
dares?
1T is a mockery of moral distinctions
to hang one man for taking the life of
another, either for money or in re-
venge, and then make hero of an
other man who wades through slaugh-
ter to a throne. and shuts the doors or
mercy On mankind.
LAS in the case of the Individual, the
violation of the commandments
shalt not covet-Thou shalt not steal
and Thou shalt not kill, are usually
BILE to the violation of the first
great comma ndment, Thou shalt nave
no other gods before Me-rhat IS, 10
the putting of self before service of
the Creator.
The violation of these command :
ments by nations is not always but
usually due to selfishness-the putting
of supposed material advantages before
obedience to the Divine law
War is occasionally altruistic in
purpose and the soldier always exhibits
unselfishness of high order, but, as
rule. conflicts are waged for selfish
ends.
The individual finds that Jehovah's
Justice cannot be evaded; for wrong
doing works its own punishment on
the wrongdoer in the form Of pervert-
ed character, even when he escapes the
penalties of human law. The nation
Is as powerless to repeal or to ignore
with impunity the laws OF Cod
though hand join in hand they snail
not be unpunished.'
IF have made 1t clear that the doc
trine that might makes right is the
most common cause OF war we may
pass to the consideration OF maxim
quite sure to be applied in war. name
ly, that Like cures like-the theory
upon which retaliation rests.
Race to Bottomless Pit.
THE two are so closely allied that it
IL, who in =