The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1932-02-18
WARS HYSTERIA
(By DR.. J. A. DuBois)

The psychology of war demands our
profoundest study. War is the greatest
crime of all the ages this world has known;
and the steps leading up to it are invariably
the same. Here is Japan, for instance, which
has comparatively lately joined our group of
so-called civilized nations, and has thus be-
come familiar with our methods. Note what
has occurred in Japan; and the parallel with
that that happened in our own country. Late
in 1916 we chose President, the decisive
vote being that he had kept us out of war.
Early in the Spring of 1917, the spirit of war
swept us into participating in the scourge
from the effects of which our common peo-
pie are still the suffering victims.
On the 18th day of September last the
popular vote of the Japanese was cast in IA
vor of the party opposed to militarism. The
very next day occurred the military coup by
which the war forces gained control Of the
government. And the god Mars and the God
Mammon found themselves at their usual oc-
equations. 1t is estimated that the great fl
nancial house of Mitsui has already pocketed
over one hundred million. And now thous-
ands of sturdy young Japanese commoners
and more thousands of Chinese. have been
ground into the dust.
And for what? Tell us We statesmen,
diplomats, preachers, professors, editors!
Now it is my wish that every person in
this locality which I am proud to call my
earthly home, even though it includes the
original Main Street, might read carefully
the subjoined from our great philosopher as
well as humorist, Mark Twain. This was
written some years before the Great World
War; but the slogans shouted to the people
are always similar, as are all the efforts to
provoke popular war hysteria:
There has never been Just one, never an
honorable one-on the part of the instigator
of the war. can million years ahead
and this rule will never change In many
half a dozen instances. The loud little
handful-as usual-wn shout for the war;
The pulpit will-warily and cautiousy-ob-
ject-at first; the great, big, dull bulk Of the
nation will rub its sleepy eyes and try to
make out why there should be war, and will
say, earnestly and indignantly, 1T is unjust
and dishonorable, and there is no necessity
for it.
Then the handful will shout louder few
fair men the other side win argue and
reason against the war with speech and pen,
and at first will have hearing and be ap-
plauded; but it will not last long; those 9TH
will outshout them, and presently the anti
audience will thin out and lose popular
ity. Before long you will see this curious
thing. The speakers stoned from the plat
form and free speech strangled by hordes Of
furious men VINO, IN their secret hearts, are
still at with those stoned speakers-as
earler-but do not dare to say SO.
And now the whole nation-pupit and all
will take I'D the cry, and shout itself
hoarse, and mob any honest ven-
lures to open his mouth; and presently such
mouths will cease to open. Next the states
man will invent cheap lies, putting the blame
upon the nation that is attacked, and every
will be glad of those conscience-sooth-
ing falsities, and will diligently study them,
and refuse to examine any refutations of
them, and thus he will by and by convince
himself that the war is just, and will thank
God for the better sleep he enjoys after this
process of grotesque self-deception."