The Llano colonist. [volume] (Llano, Calif.) 191?-1937, 1922-06-03
THE REASON FOR MILITARlsM
BY Leo Tolstoy

orders of minority is not that the
minority has usurped the land, and the
instruments Of labor. and gathers taxes.
but that 1T HAS THE POWER to do
so; because there is VIOLENCE, and
because there is an ARMY, which is
controlled BY the minority. and is ready
TO kill those who refuse to submit to the
will of that. minority.
IF peasants wish to take possession Of
land which is considered the property
of non-working man, or if they refuse
to pay taxes. or if strikers wish to pre-
vent other workmen from taking their
places Immediately there appear some
Of the same peasants. payers of taxes,
and workmen deprived of their land
only ARRAYED IN UNIFORMS AND
ARMED WITH GUNS who compel
their brethren not dressed in uniforms
to surrender their land. to pay taxes,
and to cease their strikes
When one realizes this for the first
time, one cannot believe lit seems
SO strange.
The workmen wish to free themselves
and yet they themselves force each
other to submit, and remain in slavery!
why do they do this?
They do it because all the workmen,
enlisted or hired as soldiers are sub
jected to skillful process Of stupefac-
ton and degradation, after which they
cannot help submitting blindly to their
superiors, what ever they may be order
ed 10 do.
This is how it is done. A boy is born
in the country or in town. In all Eu-
ropean States. as soon as the body
reaches the age when strength. dex-
terity, and suppleness have attained
their maximum. and the spiritual forces
are in the most confused and undeter-
mined state (about 20 years Of age), he
is enlisted as soldier; he is examined
like beast Of burden. and if physically
strong and in good condition, he is en-
rolled in some regiment, according to
his capacities, and forced 10 swear sol
EMMY that he vii obey his superiors
like slave. Then he is separated from
all his former surroundings, is made
drunk with gin or beer. is clothed in a
gaudy dress, and shut up in barracks
with other lads like himself, where he
lives in utter idleness = that is. with
out doing any useful or reasonable work
is taught the most absurd military
rules and names Of things, how to use
instruments Of murder-swords, bayo-
nets. rifles, and cannons- and, chief OF
all, he is taught not only implicit, but
even automatic, obedience to his super
iors. That is how things happen in
governments where military conscrip-
ton exists; where none exists, specially
appointed men look out everywhere for
good-for-nothing loafers, who cannot or
do not wish to live by honest labor, gen
orally depraved but strong men, whom
they make drunk bride, enlist, shut up
in barracks and subject to the same dis
cipline. The chief aim of the authori-
ties is to reduce these men to state
similar to that of the frog whose leg
ierked irresistibly when touched. A
good soldier is one who UNCONSCIOUS
w answers to certain shouts of his SUI
periors by certain definite movements
just as the frogs leg answers to the
touch. This is attained by forcing
these miserable men, dressed in simi-
lar many-colored garments, to walk,
and turn about, and jump, and do ev-
erything in concert, by command, to
the sound of music and drums during
weeks and months and years.
For every disobedience they are pun
ished in the most cruel way, and even
by death. At the same time, drunken
ness, depravity, idleness, foul language,
and murder, instead Of being forbidden,
are encouraged, and brothels provided
for them. The soldiers are treated to
gin, they are taught to sing shameful
songs, and trained to murder. Murder
is considered SO good and praiseworthy
deed among this class of men that in
certain cases officers are required to
kill their friends, in so-called duels.)
And 50 a gentle and kind-hearted boy.
after a year of such training earlier
than that a soldier is not ready; that
is. he still retains certain human quail
ities), becomes what the authorities
wish him to be-a senseless and cruel
powerful and terrible instrument of Vi