TaÌˆgliche Omaha tribuÌˆne. [volume] (Omaha, Nebr.) 1912-1926, 1917-08-04
WAR THOUGHTS OF BERNARD SHAW!

Geofge Bernard ShaWs warneWs at the outbreak OF hoshIhes cost
him the support Of many admirers who felt that he was unpatrouc and
diLoyal. Now we learn from a London correspondent Of the New York
Tribune that his "army Of followers" is returning to him though he has not
changed hB attitude in the least He defends the conscientious DIRECTORS
and held that Easement should have been treated as a prisoner of war, and
the correspondent indicates that it is hopeless to try to classify Shaw, who
is not a pacifst, " a peacebynegotiation advocate, II a fphtto-a-fnish
the war-stuaton. On the question of reprsas for the airlads Of the
Germans, Shaw believes that such military operations should not be called
reprsas any more that the great offensive at Arras is called a reprisal
for the one at Verdun. He is quoted further as saying:
"The bombardements of towns from the air is now as much a
matter of course in the war as the bOmbardment by segeguns
from the ground.
We have rained bombs on any German town we could get
at, notably Freburg, Treves, Karsruhe-al charming residential
towns, with interesting historical monuments and valuable works
of art, not to mention streets full Of women and children. We
publicly and officially claim to have dropt hundreds of bombs to
every one dropt by the Germans, and we shall go an doing it until
we force a decision. The people who shrek MurderP and call for
reprisals don't know what war means"
The heavy casualties inflicted by air-raids have an important bearing
on the result Of the war according to Shaw, who says that call wars are
decided by breaking through a military barrier and getting a bayonet or
bomb against the brains and stomach of the nation as represented by the
civilians Of its capital" Let Sir Douglas Hag have Berlin, and linden
burg may have Ypes wd Albert and Bapaume, and the rest Ct the
Western front. On the other hand, let Hndenbug have London and Sir
Douglas "may as well pack his soldiers in boxes and sell them to the toy
shops.H 1t is the belief Of Shaw, according to this correspondent, that the
war will be won in the sky and not in the trenches, and he says that all
London has seen yet is "an experimental rehearsal or two" But this ex-
pertinent has been successful, and Shaw, humorously but seriously, eau
toned the correspondent to look after his gas-mask and helmet and have
them ready against necessity. The chief purpose of the soldier in the field,
it lis shaws opinion, is to protect the chhdbeanng woman, for,
aKIl nine-tenths Of or soldiers and male civilians, and the
remaining tenth can keep the population repnished. Kill nine
tenths Of the women, and the nation is dead even if every dead
woman were replaced by a live man. It is worth sacrificing a bat
talon to save half a dozen potential mothers"
AS to the peoples understanding Of the military situation, Shaw ex-
presses a feeling very much like contempt, for he holds that they do not
know what war is and are not told what the military situation IS and we
read:
oThey are deuded with lies, official and unofficial, to keep
them in a manageable temper Their Ignorance and thoughtess-
ness make this seem necessary, and the result is that they pass
from mere Ignorance to illusions and false hopes, the inevitable oc-
casonal disappointment Of which may produce panic at any
moment qiterary Digest)