The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1916-02-15
THE WOUNDS OF WAR

How many centuries must pass be-
fore the wounds of this war will be
healed and the peoples involved re-
turn to their old friendly relations?
That such a time must come cannot
be doubted. but it now seems that it
must be very slow in it's arrival
That the contrary may be the case
is suggested by the fact that today is
the eighteenth anniversary of the
batt1eship Maine in havana harbor.
Only / 8 years ago the United States
was thrown into commissions of rage
against another nation. Millions OF
men were seized with mad desire
to go out and kill Spaniards. The
very name of Spain became anathema
"a synonym for all that was cruel
and vile. Any person who had pub
Iicly expressed the opinion that
Spaniard was fit to associate with de-
cent folk would have been in danger
of a coat Of tar and feathers. Re
member the Maine!'' became a battle
cry which voiced a lust for vengeance.
That was 8 years ago. Today it
would be difficult to find anywhere be-
tween the Atlantic and the Pacific a
person who nourishes any grudge
against Spain because of the late IN
pleasantness. The war is practically
forgotten except by those who actually
participated in it, and the veterans of
the conflict have no grievance against
Spain or Spaniards. Dewey and
Sampson-or was, it Sch1ey ?-are re2
membered because of glorious deeds,
and there may be those who recall
that Colonel Roosevelt had something
to do with the affair.
The luminosity against Spain began
to die out before the echoes of the last
shot had died away. The prisoners
of war aroused only pity and sym
pathy. OF course the Americans
to
| cause victorious. Doubtless the wound
ranked longer in Spain than on this
side of the Atlantic. Now, however,
a subject of Uncle Sam can go any
where in Spain without fear of being
| called a "pig.'' unless his manners
Justify such. a, characterization.
The South African war and the
! Russo Japanese conflict are even more
| remarkable illustrations of the ten
dency of wars wounds to heal quickly.
The Beers, who hated the BritisEaers
most cordially 10. years ago, are now
marching under the British banner,
and only a few maIcontents nurse the
old grievances. The japanese and the
Russians are not only allies. but
friends, with no little respect for each
other.
OF course, this war has features far
more horrible, and likely to make inn
pressions much harder to eradicate,
j
It cannot be expected that the people
of Belgium, Northern France, Poland
and Serbia can soon forget, much less
forgive, the horrors they have Witness
ed.
It was not 50 long ago that Great
Britain and France were the sworn
enemies of Russia. and the allies of
Turkey. For centuries the relations
of Britain and France were those of
the cat and the dog. Prussia and Aus
tria were at war less than half a CEN
fury ago. It was only yesterday that
| Great Britain and Russia We're deadly
| rivals, ready to fly at each others
| throa
/ 1t would be difficult to convince any
| Teuton that he can ever again cherish
any but feelings of bitterest enTnity
toward England. 'Gott strafe Eng
| land is a sentiment which, he thinks,
will be handed down to posterity to
the end of time The world, he thinks,
is quite too small to contain both Ger
mans and Englishmen. The student
of history must smile at these senti-
ments. Hate is very wearing on the
/ hater. When peace comes at last to
end the slaughter. alI~the nations will
| be too busy to cherish enmities. Ha-
tired will cease t'by attrition."