The Irish standard., 1917-01-06
BRUTALITY OF PEACE
European War Begotten in Greed and
in the Destruction Of Common
People in England.
Germany Stands for Paternalisn, Eng.
land for Diaboiism, Says Noted
American Writer.

iron, close together and near the sea-
board, and her position as the gate
way between east and west, gave her
the industrial leadership of Europe,
and made London, her capital, the
worlds banker and arbiter. Also, as
am aritime empire, controlling one
fifth of the worlds surface, and carry
ing half the worlds trade in her bot
toms, she found vast foreign market
in her own colonies and dependencies.
Into the race against her came the
other countries of the world-urged b:
the same economic necessity. Compe-
tition speeded production, and in.
creased production demanded constant
increase of markets. The great Pow
ers elbowed each other enviously in
every port and mart of the earth; and
they armed, armed and armed. Came
then the international armament trust
to provide them all with the means of
destroying each other - capitalism's
most perfect flower! Meanwhile the
frightful exploitation of the workers
had bred revolt among thew every
where. A moment came when the
tension of the greed for gain, hate for
rivals and fear of internal revolt had
keyed the competing plutocracies to a
pitch of intolerable irritation. A Ser
Wan lad assassinates an Austrian duke
and duchess. Austria demands re-
vense. Servia appeals for help to Rus
STA. 1t is enough. Armageddon is on!
And all the world has been arguing
since: Who started this thing?" The
Teutonic races cry: England and
Russia" The English, Slav and Latin
Cry: Germany and Austria" It is
matter of the smallest Importance.
But it may be well to note that Eng
lands two-to-one naval policy could
have had but one meaning to a Ger.
many which by sheer brains and thor.
oughness had wrested away two-thirds
of her rivals steel trade and made
vast inroads on her South American
and Oriental markets. England must
keep her hands free to act" was Sir
Edward Grey's reply to the German
ambassadors urgent plea for his terms
of neutrality. That also should be re.
membered. AS a matter of plain fact
England dared not miss the opportu-
nifty to unite Europe against her over
matching competitor
And now to revert to Owen Wister's
lament over the moral ruins of his be-
loved Germany: Belgium. with her
forts rebuilded and her army reorgan.
lied, in consultation with the British
War Office, was already a violated
country and a British outpost when
Germany struck. Also let us not for
get the violated Transvaal and the
British Concentration camps It
will help us to keep properly balanced.
One-fifth of Louvain was sacked &C.
cording to the severe military usage,
after German commander and num-
Der of soldiers had been shot by the
inhabitants. Again, let us remember
that this is the usage of war every
where, and not German popularity.
In Kitchener's last drive across South
Africa not homestead was left stand
ing. AS the columns advanced the ar
tillery followed close on the scouts,
and without inquiry or warning shelled
to atoms every smokestack on the
horizon.
The Lusitania was a floating British
arsenal, and was torpedoed in the war
zone. Her American passengers had
been thoroughly forewarned. She went
down loaded to the scuppers with
shells intended for German bodies. Let
us remember, for equipoise, that on
that same day 700 working men and
women were killed outright, $4,000
were MANNED and injured in these
United States by our own industrial
diabolism. Who cared? Who protest