Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1915-06-18

last weeks issue EditoS)
To all who love liberty beyond the
shadow of an oppressive militarism
that has courted it's victims by the
millions; that takes no account OF
human life or human suffering; that
hears unheeding the cries of the
homeless, the hungry and the naked;
that strikes at women and children
over the shoulders of the soldiers in
arms; that has devasted the fairest
fields Of Europe and wrecked her
cities; that has transformed paradise
into death and disaster. And all be-
cause the murderous engines of war
stood ready.
War is woe. War is death. War
is destruction. Against war pulls
the natural shrinking of every man
Waman and child.
War is the enemy of culture, art
and all of everything that exaults
the mind. War is contrary to the
christian religion denying the broth
erhood of man.
We thought everything had been
done to prevent war but just short
time ago there burst out the most
terrific war ever known to mankind,
the largest, far-reaching, the most
destructive Of life.
Do you know why death, devasta-
ton, and poverty stalks ruthlessly
over Europe today? How trade and
commerce was ruined? How Belgium
was practically wiped out of ex-
istence, millions Of men of eight
nations forced to fight on the fields
Of battle, thousands being killed
daily and tens of thousands being
manned for life? While we think
about it, millions of men half dead
with fatigue, yet only at the begin
ming of their toll. One fourth of
them are unconsciously preparing
themselves for the soldiers shallow
grave. 1t is terrible crime against
humanity that the peaceful rivers of
Europe should thus be made to run
red with the blood of dead and dying.
The principal cause of this horri-
BILE conflict is the spirit of envy,
jealousy, selishness and suspicion in
the so called Christian nations. The
assassination by Servia of the Crown
Prince of Austria was only the
lighted match which set the Euro
pean combustibles in flame.
Germany envies England's harbor
facilities, while at the same time
England and Germany are both re-
solved to prevent Russia from get
ting harbor facilities on the Medite-
ranean sea.
1t was this spirit which led Ger
many into the war. This spirit which
inspired the military party of Ger
many to disregard it's treaty with
France and England, guaranteeing
the neutrality of Belgium and this
spirit which could not and apparently
still does not comprehend why Bel
gium should be bound in honor to
def,nd her neutrality.
The political and religious divisions
of Europe also account for a part
of the passion which brought about
war but when the issue was once
Joined many other causes combined
to bring one nation after another
into the struggle.
Among the dreadful incidents of
the war is its suddenness and mag
nitude. Europe appeared to be in
perfect peace on the morning of
July %, but on the evening of August
z, six powers were already commit
ted to war.
Great numbers of people were
caught unawares on the continent
Of Europe, while at the same time
the system of travellers credit
broke down ands when tram service
and steamship com m unica ii s
were again restored many travellers
could not raise the money to get out
The United States government took
an unprecedented step in appropriat-
ing large sum of money for the
relief of the marooned Ameri cans.
Continued on page a.