The Colville examiner. [volume] (Colville, Wash.) 1907-1948, 1916-04-29
While certain moneyed inter

tpreStS alIt ceflalh polltiCaI "
terests are endeavoring to. draw
the United States into conflict with
peoples of other nations, and
while the president of this coun-
try is being beset by those who
desire an immense armament for
this country, the following mas
terly words might well be con-
sidered. They are by the Hon.
L. J. Roundtree of Texas, presi-
dent of the national editorial as
sociation:
Nations that have lived by the
sword have perished by the sword;
Men who have gained wealth ana
glory as desperadoes and robbers
have all met death Commen-
surate with their crimes, Uneven,
Babylon, Rome, Memphis, Sodom
and Gomorrah perished because
they defed Gods immutable law
and lived by the sword and IN the
cesspools Of human depraVlty.
Through all the ages men on horse
back. with the sword, have gained
temporary victories builded pass
ing empires and have marked
their alleged successes with human
blood and have attempted to glor-
ify and perpetuate their memories.
Kings. rulers, emperors, czars,
tyrants, and other murderers have
stolen nations and impoverished
people. Feasts have been spread
and the king and thousand OF
his lords have gathered to make
merry and canonize the alleged
victor. Peoples have been plum
dered and robbed and taken into
slavery to satisfy the insatiate
greed and avarice of the wicked.
Crowns and scepters have been at
stake-they have been won and
lost and kingdoms torn down and
destroyed. On a fateful night in
July. 1914. all Europe went to bed
drunken. For many years a crisis
had been coming and now: ITO
Arms !" Millions Of troops were
on the march in a few hours.
Preparedness had been the cry
and now war was the inevitable
result The European war was on
before men and women had sober
ed from the previous day and
night debauch. From the
crowned heads to the serfs there
was drink suitable for all pur
poses. For years before the great
confagration there had been a
ceaseless disturbance and out Of
the maelstrom would be heard: :
''We can whip the world" " The
European nations had been taught
in their cafes, gardens, theaters,
schools, and churches that all
other nations were their enemies
and must perish or their kingdom
would be finished. 1t was Bel
shazzar feast every night. But
no European nation believed the
"Medes and Persians" were com
ing to them-they themselves
were to be the victors. The kings
and rulers of Europe had degen-
Grated into imbeciles, venal and
corrupt or conceited and bigoted
and degenerate criminals, and
should have long ago forfeited the
respect Of every man claiming to
be civilized. The men with the
sword, on horseback, assembled at
Gibraltar, at Buckingham, at Pots
dam, at Versailles, at CONSTANT
nople, and throughout Europe.
The curse of militarism, the dark
est day in civilization, and de-
struction Of nations was at hand.
Each degenerate nation believed
the day had come and it was to
be God at Armageddon. But
these rulers had forgotten that
no nation ever survived by the
sword even though it was built
by the sword.
Every ruler in Europe believed
he was a Napoleon and could win
the victory and make Europe one
grand empire. He believed he
knew when to strike. No ruler
was satisfied with his own king
dom and forgot che fate of Alex
ander the Great and Napoleon
Bonaparte. They saw their mil
lions of women and children and
ignorant men as serfs and slaves
to pay tribute to the false rule
Of degenerate tyrants. The king
doms were too small and the
bloodthirsty aristocracy must have
more subjects and territory-at
least this was the purpose of the
mobilization which came like a
clap Of thunder out of a clear sky.
Blood and murder was everywhere
to be seen. Was there any prin-
ciple involvedY Not that any per-
son heard Of They forgot the re-