The McDowell times. [volume] (Keystone, W. Va.) 1904-1941, 1940-08-09

ing the nature Of matters abroad.
We don't maintain blockades against
neighboring countries, nor Cypress
them, nor hold to mandatory powers
that cruelty handicap them. All the
nations Of Europe HAVE been do
ing these things, snatching the spoils
Of war, profiting by the sufferings
OF sister nations, for more than 20
long years; or rather for more than
10 long centuries.
To live in continual war with YOUR
neighbors is possible to any govern
ment. To live in continual peace is
also possible. The Americas, by
some fortunate combination of cir
cumstances, prefer the latter course.
1t is nonsense to say that you have
to fight if other persons fight, for
they have some reason for fighting,
and it is your job, in peace times,
to discover that reason, and to find
other ways Of curing the situation
than the wholesale slaughter of in
nocent boys. When a nation meets
war with war it is tacitly admit
ting that might is right; a theory
that we should have left behind us
1000 years ago. A theory, in short,
that we said we DID leave behind
us, when certain Voice spoke on
a certain mountain 1000 years ago.
War Breeds on War.
Twenty years ago Germany was
crushed to the complete satisfaction
OF all the war makers. She was
split in two, her wealth, her colo
MES were shorn away, she never
could rise again or fight again.
But somehow two and two didn't
make four. War, instead of breed
ing peace, bred more war. The
victorious nations, supposedly strong
In policing and blockading and man.
dating and defense couldn't some
how watch that one central Euro
pean state closely enough to see
what she was doing, or police her
sternly enough to stop her from
what she actually did.
That was Germany's hour of dark
ness. She emerged still Germany
and more nationalistic than ever.
This hour is dark for France. But
she has been conquered before; de-
spite all that any enemy can do in
her heart she will still be untouched,
and within another turn of the tide
she will be France again.
England Still England.
The Danes, the Saxons. the Ro-
mans, the Normans all conquered
old England in turn. The Hanovari-
ans and the Dutch came over to
rule, with the Georges and Will
liam OF Orange. But England isn't
Danish nor Saxon nor Roman nor
Norman nor Dutch; she's herself.
England overpowered the Transyaal
only 40 years ago, but anyone who
visits 1t visits a strong Boer ma
ton, still itself.
All the blackboards of the world.
and all the chalk, and all the Stats
ticians couldn't work out for us to-
day what the world is going to be
70 years from today. Dictators fall
peoples rebel against despotism, the
great flood Of human reason, the b,-
man need Of love and home and chill
dren and gardens will 90 on. That
need exists in the hearts of GAL
liant bewildered German boys fight
ing like tigers because they are told
to fight; bewildered French lads who
knew neither why they fought nor
why they stopped; English boys who
only ask for home and a job and an
occasional movie. They're all ex-
sctly alike, and when the war-mak-
ers are stated, and the dictators'
hands lose their power, things will
begin to slip back into their old
places.