Evening star., 1944-06-01
Letters to The Star
Pacifst Reactions Explained
Against Historical BACKGROUND

10 the Eultor OF Ine star
On reading your editorial, THE Taut
Days. which appeared in the issue of
May IL, bit of hope was awakened in
my mind that at last an editor glimpsed
the yawning abyss toward which our
Don Quixote world mission Is headed.
The editor seemed to realize that we
might be moving toward a fste re-
sembling that which Macbeth foresaw
when 1t was too late to escape 1t and SO
took refuge in the pessimistic declara-
ton:
Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomor-
row,
Creeps in this petty pace from day to
day.
To the last syllable of recorded time,
And all our yesterdays have lighted
fools
The way to dusty death" S
After the first World War had passed
into history and mankind had sampled
the ingredients the diplomats had boiled
in their witches cauldron, gripping
nausea beset thinking men and worien
OF all nations. 1t was not the churches
but the generals and other high-rank-
ing military men who had served the
god of war for generation and more
who turned against war as a means of
settling international differences Scores
of British and French military leaders
repudiated war and turned to friendly
cooperation and mutual aid.
A typical example is that of the
French artillery commander, Gen.
Percin, who was professional soldier
from 1855 to the close of World War /.
fought against Germany in the Franco
Prussian War in 1870 and again from
1914 through 1918, then turned pacifist,
declaring: "The World War has shown
me the fallacy of believing that war
is an unavoidable evil. The wrong side
Is as apt to win as the right" He de-
manded that the war mind" be de-
stroyed by education
A number Of distinguished British
generals who led armies on the western
front from 1914 through 1918 took a
like stand against war. Gen. r. r.
Crozier, after fighting for over 40 years
to maintain and expand the British
Empire, ruthlessly exposed the humbug
hypocrisy, and fraud OF published war
scareS and war aims" He wrote short
ly before the present European slaugh-
ter began: "A lifetime OF professional
soldering has brought me, by painful
ways, TO the realization that all war is
wrong, and senseiess But the bluff
of the masses continues, with all its
hideous possibilities. Armaments
win never bring peace. The only way
civilization can be saved is for the
Christian churches to prove their Chris
tianity and march toward pacihsm. We
have come to the parting of the ways"
Those are courageous words and true,
written in his book, "The Men I Killed, /"
which was published In England and
went through eight or more editions
within few months. In contrast to
Crozier's enlightened humane stand
may be cited the position taken by the
Archbishop of York during World War
who declared: 1T is. permissible for
Christians on certain occasions to kill"
Our own Gen. Smedley Butler Of the
Marines scorned the sophistry Of the
archbishop and publicly denounced the
whole war business.
And back in 1855 Gen. William. T.
( Sherman put Christian" ministers to
shame by proclain1ing courageously. IT
confess without shame that I am tired
and sick OF war. It's glory is all NOON
shine. Even success, the most brilliant,
Is over dead and mangled bodies, the
anguish and lamentations of distant
families, appealing to me for missing
sons, husbands and fathers. It is only
those who have not heard shot, nor
the shrieks and groans Of the wounded,
friend or foe, who cry aloud for more
blood. more vengeance, more desola-
ton
And let me add a voice The Star
has lauded as that of one of Britain's
great statesmen. Shortly after World
War the voters OF Britain repu-
dated Lloyd George at the polls and
the operation removed film from his
eyes, thus giving him clear perspec-
tive of the world for the first time in
years 1t was then that he wrote de-
liberately: Wars are precipitated by
motives which the statesmen respon-
sible for them dare not publicly avow.
public discussion of those motives
would drag them in their nudity into
the open where they would die of the
whitening contempt of humanity" Is
there anyone who can speak more au-
thoritatively on the subject? Even the
conservative Disraeli is quoted as say
ing War is never a solution, 1t is an
aggrayation" @
The present wishful thinking of the
press will appear childish when men
can review it in the calmer days of the
future. The degenerating effects of
ubiquitous deceptions then will be
glaringly apparent.
If any views expressed in this letter
are resented, can only reply by saying
they represent deep-seated convictions
embodying the welfare and safety of
my country and its people.
o. j. SCHUSTER.
Praise for the South