Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1915-10-21
IF THEY UNDERSTOOD

While the war in Europe RACES and men go to their
death daily by thousands is forced to wonder how
many any really understand what they are fighting for
about While the do the fighting it is distinct
ly war of the classes The German farmers and labor
ing men had no quarrel with their fellows in France
Belgium Russia England, yet they are pouring out
their blood in desperate battle with them The converse
of the proposition equally true and those fighting Ger
many that is the private soldiers, have little or any
knowledge as to what they are doing it for
1t safely be asserted that had the whole situation
been thoroughly explained to, and understood by the
masses of each of the warning countries the would
not have taken place. for the masses would have refused
TO 90 the front to slaughter their fellow to be
slaughtered by them.
Indeed if those now at each others throats really
derstood the situation it is doubtful if the would last
another week. for they would understand that when the
harvest of death had been gathered that such OF them as
survive would have burden Of debt laid upon their
shoulders that would bear heavily not only upon them
but generation after generation yet to be born.
How many of them know that the daily cost of the
war is eghtyfve million dollars at the rate of thirty
billion thirty thousand millions of dollars year, with
an interest burden of one billion five hundred million dol
lars year. and that the indirect loss is fully as much
more?
How many of them know that if the war is prolonged
until February and the death and loss rate continues as it
has during the war there will have been killed in battle
more than five million men, the flower of the manhood of
the warning countries?
How many of them know that the deaths from sick
dred thousand total of seven million five hundred
thousand deaths in eighteen months?
How many of them realize that OF the vast armies
that have BEEN or are now in the field more than five
million will be permanent cpples by the time the war is
eighteen months old?
How many of them realize that of those who survive
the bloody field and deadly exposure seventy-hve per
cent will physically or morally from the
effect Of their service and association?
If the masses realized that their countries were rush
ing headong into bankruptcy and must necessarily for
many years be at hopeless disadvantage in the race with
other nations for progress and success do you think they
would still seek to assassnate each other without
and without reason?
If the leaders the monarchs the little handful who
plan and control and command who know in advance and
in detail what is to be DONE what is intended for the
future to enghen the Masses take them into their
confidence and let them see clearly the plans would not
both those in the ranks well those at home rise up
and compel the in control to find way of bring
ing the SenseesS conflict to an end?
1t is not too much to demand that the people should
know the reasons for the and continuance
of pending wars and they should understand the awful
consequences.
Those who are directly affected and who must bear
the burdens are in large measure ignorant of the facts
which have been suppressed partly at least and prob
ably almost entirely because knowledge of these facts
would prevent continuance of the most stupendous the
most unreasonable the most causeeSs destruction of life
and property the world has ever witnessed
AN EXAMPLE OF PATRIOTISM