Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1917-11-01

- IociS W uPpol hliiioCll, Dul
to support whom men and women
and children toiled and starved.
He had never seer it just like
that before; reared in the family
tradition, it had seemed a law of
nature that he should have sub
jects to work for him and suffer
for him and die for him, if need
be; he had been taught that it was
God himself who had given place
and power to his house; and that,
if other less favored people lived
in misery and died in want, why
that was doubtless Gods will, too.
And as for warmly, without
war there could be no glory, no
conquest, no chivalry. 1t was war
which held a nation together,
which made kings more powerful
and thrones more stable But now
came a man with shining eyes who
talked of the sinful folly of war,
OF the wanton waste of armies
who dreamed Of universal brother
hood, and a world governed by
love! Wild words, foolish dreams,
perhaps-and yet most dangerous
to the idea of the divine right of
kings! So, that evening, the
prince sat and listened, and tried
to understand.
1t was Pachmann who did most
OF the talking, and a great deal Of
itwas for the princes benefit.
I'VE have been considering
your proposal, Mr.. Yard" he be-
gan, land have discussed it thor
oughly."
AS a matter of fact, he had not
exchanged a word with the prince
on the subject; he had distrusted
him ever since Ward had offered
him his hand, for that action
showed that this anarchist, this So
clalist, this enemy Of kings, had
detected in this young descendant
OF kings sympathy and a certain
understanding. Pachmann thought
of it with disgust and horror.
We have discussed it thor
oughly," Pachmann repeated, and
the prince, who detected the con
tempt in the words, flushed hotly,
but did not speak; land there are
certain objections to your plan
which we wish to submit to YOU,
The first of these is that war does
not depend upon explosives. Be-
fore gunpowder, men fought with
swords and lances and arrows; be-
fore the discovery Of iron and
steel, with clubs and stones. Man
has always been fighting, even
when he had no weapons but his
fists"
THAT is true" assented Ward.
Pray continue"
My argument u.s." went on
Pachmann, dripping the plural
once for all, "that, IT, Oh you
may render all explosives useless,
and blow up forts and battleships
and ~arsenals, you will not stop
war. You will merely compel it to
shoft to another basis-to the old
basis, probably, of brute strength,
of hand-to- hand combat. And if
you do that, Che old days will re-
turn Of barbarian invasions. The
Turk will sweep down again on
southern Europe the Tartars will
invade us from the east. You will
not assist civilization you will set
pit back 1000 years. It will have
to fight again for its very exist
Ience, as it did in the Middle Ages"
But Yard shook his head.
II have thought Of that" he
said. I'm the first place, it will
be permitted to continue the use
of explosives against the barbar-
ians-for defense, you understand,
not for aggression - until such
time as we car persuade them, too,
to lay down their arms. AS to your
other objection, it falls to the
ground the moment you agree
with me that all the nations of the
world must ultimately become
democracies. At first, it is true,
men fought Of their own yolition,
but it was to secure food, to guard
their homes, or to replenish their
supply Of women. But since those
very early days, all wars have
been wars not Of the people, but
Of their rulers. They were wars
81 revenge or ofAmbition, ii which
the people joined because they
had no choice. They were driven
into the ranks, were sometimes
sold By one power to fight for an
|other. Loft to their own choice,
they would have remained quietly
at home, tilling their fields, rear
inn their families. The only great
exception know 81 iafthe early
wars 0f NaDOleon. To those Wars.