New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-10-14
WAR A TONIC,
NEED
'BOBS' WROTE
Inevitable as Death"
Lord Roberts De-
clared in Essay
[By telegraph to The Tribune ]

GBy telegraph to The Tribunal
Bridgeport, Conn, Oct. 13.-An essay
written by the late Field Marshal Lore
Roberts, the beloved "Bobs" of tn,
British army, which was read by Cosmc
Hamilton last night at meeting Of thu
Contemporary Club, shows that thai
keen fighter, whose prestige won thou
sands Of Indian recruits to the colors
was satisfied that the great war wa:
his nations greatest need.
There is one aspect of the great
European war with which, so far as
know, no one has had the courage tc
DEAL" Lord Roberts wrote. Many
pens have been busy In writing of it'
horrors, its extraordinary development,
in science and chemistry, tho heroisn
Of its units. the great beauty that ha,
been brought out by it in the way Of
human sacrifice and the unaccountablt
humber Of individual acts Of exquisite
kindness. 1t remains to deal with its
need.
81 am one Of those who hold that
this war was virtually necessary to al
of the nations engaged in it, as well as
to those who are standing aside and, il
is hoped. learning lessons. The his
tory of the world makes it very clear
that at the moment when countries ar.
rive at GENERALIZATION something mus,
happen, and that something is war.
Degeneracy Follows Over Civilization
"As soon as nations become over
civilized degeneracy sets in. The first
set of persons to be attacked is that
which forms the government Of the
country. While it is true that govern
ments are never representative and
politicians are merely parasites. even
under the best conditions. it is aston
ishing how quickly the example of their
dishonest self-seeking and inefficiency
runs through the nations which they
do not represent 1t is very natural
! for a man-let him be British, French
Italian or German-who watches the
petty souabbles, the steady and grow
ing pilferings Of his government. TO
become effective and gradually grow
out of the habit of straight thinking
and honest dealing.
"a general carelessness sets in, like
a blight. 1t spreads to the younger
/ generation, and a diseased country is
very quickly brought to the condition
when it must either die or be operated
! upon. 1t is the inevitable law, both oi
! nature and nations. Then comes war
the final test.
"If country has any health left in
it's constitution il revives, gathers it.
self together, makes the most tre-
mendous sacrifices, puts forth an ef-
fort of the strength Of which no man
thought it capable and rises like the
phoenix from the flames. War places
il upon the operating table and cuts
out Of its body the csncerous growths
which are results of GENERALIZATION
The pendulum swings back again AND
the convalescent nation makes ne@
beginning.
Pacifism a Disease.
"Pacifism and the desire for pacihsn
show not only an utter ignorance OF
history and the psychology of nations
but is itself a proof of the arrival OF
degeneracy and that curious form o.
! brain anemia which is one of the worst
diseases that can affect = nation.
"The moment when country has be.
come over civilized is shown by a sud
den outbreak OF twisted thought. Di
rectly a country's press become full ot
articles, putting forward anti-vivlsec
tionism, peace at any price, the
criminality of corporal punishment and
hysterical petitions against the taking
of degenerate life, it is time for the
wise men to take stock. Anamia has
set in and a tonic is badly needed
iron being the best of them.
with anemia comes the disinclina-
tion to look facts in the face, and poll
ticans, limiting the policy of the os-
trich, commence to hide their heads sd
that they may not see the approach OF
trouble. Then, inevitably, the labor
market becomes unsettled, demagogueS
seize every opportunity to show theil
strength, and labor is organized
against capital. Trades unions, finding
weaklings against them, commence tc
bully. All the tendencies Of efete
ness, pervertism and national careless
ness set in one after another.
politicians demand pay for work
which should be patriotically given to
the nation; men, women and children
sneak out Of conforming to the relig-
ious observances of former genera
ton; all men begin to live above their
incomes; grotesque extravaganza IN
women's dress follows; schoolboys and
undergraduates think it necessary to
begin where their fathers left off; q
political corruption begins to be the
smart thing; the nation has begun to
live for the moment.
even at this time. when men are
still out of the habit Of looking truth
in the face, howl of indignation will
be raised from all sides when have
the temerity to assert that Germany
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