New Britain herald., 1916-11-08
Army men WARNED
OFF THE GRASS
Macmillan Harden Tells Them to
Keep Out Of Politics


Gates of jingoism in general are eau
toned to confine their activities to
their own special field Of labor and
not interfere with the statesmen Of
the empire, who are supposed to be
in charge of the diplomatic and po-
litical side of the war, by Macmillan
Harden in an article IN Die Zukunft
Of Oct. 81 After citing a long quo
tation from CIausewitz and inauiring
if "a hundred years after Clausewitz
there are Germans who doubt the fact
that war is still tolerable only as the
instrument of policy Herr Harden, as
translated by The London Times pro-
ceeds:
THE politician alone can and must
decide how the war is to be conducted
at what point with the stalking of
the whole forces, and at what point
with caution. The politician before
the hrSt shot is fired must seek a
plain answer to two questions. What
! do L desire to do, and what can I do,
! against the enemy? If he is fighting
| again a coalition, a third question
| rapidly hooks itself on to the second
| question. How am I to separate those
who are united against me not by
love, but by hatred? If, so far as
| Watchful human intelligence can
judge, he is able to destroy one of
his enemies-and especially if this
one is the most dangerous, because
| of his constant readiness for war
then let him direct his field army with
unbreakable violence against this one,
remained quiet had it not been for the
! flashing of the always half drawn
| sword of the one, time to see the en-
! barrassment of their friend and the
! strength of their enemy
IF all the enemies are so strong
/ that for a sober mind there can be
no idea of destruction, and. it will
| be necessary after the war to go on
| living with all Of them as important
world partners. still thornier questions
arise. Which enemy threatens me
with the danger of isolation among
the alien races, civilizations, and
creeds? Which threatens the most
serious injury to the economic sys-
tenn Of my country? Which Of them
might be reconciled after consider
! able loss of life, but could never be
reconciled after visible humiliatio
|
be avoided in order that a peaceful
settlement may remain possible? Is
not precisely here such a settlement,
| with untarnished honor and profit
| able increase of prestige, to be pre-
ferred to the 1ong-drawn quarrel sug
| gested by hatred-hatred which de-
| stroys but never creates
The Punic Wars.
| Then Harden reminds his readers
| of the history of the Punic wars. He
begins by putting Germany in the
place of Rome and without saying
which enemy is Carthage, represents
| the ideal German politician as asking
| himself the following questions
| Can my Rome endure three Punic
wars, or wouId she. If the first war
had brought but small regard for i'm
mense expenditure. find the way to
world supremacy too long. too, step,
| and too. costly2 Is she a Rome only
in the eyes of vain self-deception,
! while clear vision sees her to be the
! new Carthage?
Herr Harden explains how the new
| Carthage in a fight to a finish could
| not be saved even by Hamilcar, Has
drubal and Hannibal whereas, if
! Carthage had only been reasonable
North Africa the junior partner in
the Roman world firm" she would
| have retained her islands, her war
/ ships her elephants, and her talents"
! Meanwhile, Rome might have saved
| herself a great deal Of money and
J trouble if she had put veto
on Catos everlasting threatening
! speeches.
Harden ends by pointing the moral
! for Germany at present as follows:
"Only statesmen can add up the
possibilities and arrive at the neces-
sites. Only they can be allowed 10
| decide with what Wea pons and up 10
what end the war is to be conducted
| 1t is only in Germany that these prln-
ciples are disputed. Is it because
| Militarism really reigns among us DIS
| the enemy asserts? Milltarlsm IS q
| form of civilization and state Oh
| mind 1t presses forever stronger
armam ents, and accustoms even the
ordinary citizen to the idea that
weapons alone can settle STRIFE OF
peoples, and that any other tool is
unworthy and useless. HerOism and
military Virture can flourish without
militarism, but militarism alone guar
antees the constant readiness of all
the limbs of the peoples body for
rapid transition from peace to war.
1T is because militarism favors the
temptation to war, and must either
extend it's depredations far and wide
or be rooted cut absolutely, that the
war is to continue until militarism
has been destroyed. That is what all
the enemies of the German empire
say out loud and what all neutral
powers say in whispers DO they not
then, know Germany?' it is asked No.
Germany keeps silence. And Germany
allows noisy runners-amok to pro-
claim themselves to mankind as the