The Detroit times., 1916-01-27
PRAGMAPHOBIACS
eY DR.. FRANK CRANE
Copyright. 1915. by Frank Cranej

A Pragmaphile is one who considers
facts only and is not afraid of their con-
clusions.
A Pragmaphobe is one who scorns
facts, maintaining his theory in spite of.
them.
One who dares look at facts cannot
fail to note that nature is as purposely
destructive as she is concerned with saw
ing and preserving
All the human beings now alive are
to nature but just another crop. She
will cut them down when she has finish
ed with them, as she has galnered pre-
ceding generations.
Manifest destiny is occupied with re-
moving all living organisms. Unjust
economic conditions produce poverty
and disease, which takes off the poor;
luxury and self-indulgence quite as eff
fectively do away with the rich.
Both of these agencies are due to ig-
norance and lack of vision, as it is evil
IDENTIFY not natures purpose to give any
Of US wisdom enough to live past our
limit.
For some reason or other nature got
tired of Europeans and sent upon them
that frenzy of patriotism and war lust
that is moving them down at the rate
of 10000 a day
She has kept the poison Of militarism
alive, turned the most exalted devotion
Of the people toward the glory 81 whole
sale murder and the preparation for it,
because she intended in good time to de-
climate them as she is now doing
Natures progress is by prodigious
waste. She produces millions Of maple
seeds and fish eggs to propagate only a
few. The rest she throws away.
Even so the efforts of nations TO pro-
tect and increase themselves eventuate
in their more rapid destruction. Nature
preserves the fatuousness of militarism
among the nations for purpose it is be-
cause the perfect type has not yet APP
peared.
She probably grew weary Of German
efficiency, British supremacy Russian
numerical preponderance, and the like,
and set them 10 work devouring them
selves She might have done it through
pestlence; she preferred war.
It looks much as if nature was about
done with America. Perhaps we have
served our purpose and are now ready
to be cast aside.
She has fastened on us certain deadly
things and has sent into our minds
correspondingly deadly infatuation that
renders us incapable of seeing what is
the matter.
She has given us the party system,
which is the fatal bacillus that by and
by destroys democracy. Along with this
she has sent us the insane conviction
that the political party is absolutely
necessary. This combination may be
trusted to remove us in time.
She is now pushing US toward militar-
ism, at the same time confusing our in
teligence by strife of tongues, making
the preparedness advocates. the pacifsts,
the little navy men, and the whole lot
of public leaders utterly blind to the
only program that could possibly save
US when the crash comes. That pro-
gram, Of course, is to begin at once to
organize among neutral nations some
form Of world government which shall
combine the united force of the major
| ity Of nations against the irruptive few.
Every intelligent person knows that
this is the only way out of war or the
suicide Of the race. But as long as ma
ture can keep us thinking that this is
chimerica and impossible, she can in
noculate US gradually with the military
preparedness microbe and have US all
ready to be wiped out in our turn, to
make way for the next experiment, per-
haps in Africa or South America.
Well. we have had our little day; at
least. with a congress full Of pragma-
phobacs representing a press and a
people equally determined not to face
tho facte of noiIitarism and its history.