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of Westphalians； Wurtemburgers； Saxons； Bavarians； Hungarians； these
men and boys from the fields and farms of Posen and Pomerania； the
forests of Thuringia； the vineyards of the Rhine or the vegetable
gardens of the Palatinate； these students from the Universities
and scholars from the Technical Schools； plunged in this insane War；
fighting in very truth for they know not what； and pouring out their
life…blood； like water in obedience to the long…prepared schemes
of their rulers I am seized with an immense pity。
They have been told they are fighting to save their Fatherland。
And as far as our argument is concerned it does not matter how
falsely they have been instructed or what grain of actual truth
there may be in the contention。
The point is that the vast majority of them believe this to be
true； and they too； dear children； are giving their lives for their
hearths and homes they too are leading this hateful existence in
trenches and mines； called to it by what seems to them a good
conscience； and carried onward （in company with those they have
left at home） in the mad millrace of public opinion。
However we may； blame the German High Command and certainly we must
blame those in power； who over such a long period deliberately
prepared this war； and at the last so suddenly launched it upon
Europe。
However we may blame the German High Command； we cannot refuse
to acknowledge the really great qualities of their general Army：
its extraordinary courage and devotion； its versatility and resource。
As to its goodheartedness； that is proved by the endless stories
of spontaneous friendliness shown by the German troops even to
their enemies； the individual rapprochements on occasions； the
succour to the wounded； the Christmas songs and celebrations； and
by the fact of advances of this kind so often coming first from
the German side。
As to its good sense； that element certainly has not been wanting。
Among the stories' above…mentioned as coming from the Front is one
which I have every reason to believe is true。 The Saxons one day；
in their trenches thirty or forty yards away； put up a blackboard
on which was written： 〃The English are fools！〃 The board was
of course peppered with bullets； and went drown。 Presently it
reappeared with 〃The French are fools！〃 written on it。 Being
duly peppered again it went down； and came up with 〃The Russians
are fools！〃 Same treatment。 But when it； or a similar board；
appeared for the fourth time； lo！ the inscription was 〃The Austrians
are fools！〃； and when it appeared for the fifth time； 〃The
Germans are fools！〃； and the sixth time； 〃We are all fools！〃
I don't think there could be much better sense than that。
And to think that the insane policy of a Government or Governments
should bring about the wholesale slaughter of such mien as all
these that I have described。
To think that the longer such a war goes on； the less heroic and
generous it becomes； and the more dominated by hatred and revenge by
the wish to score a military victory or the desire to secure mere
political and commercial advantages。
To think that nations who consider themselves civilized should be
thus acting： so contrary to the natural laws and instincts of
humanity that often in order for a bayonet charge men must be primed
with liquor to the verge of intoxication 。
We need not go further。
Of the three great nations primarily involved those indeed of
which we can speak most confidently； knowing them best it is
intolerable to think they should thus mutilate and destroy each other。
All we can say is： Never again must this thing happen！
When one thinks of the whole dread Coil and Entanglement； and；
what it is for； the mind reels in despair。
When one thinks of the marvellous scientific ingenuity and skill；
directed in a kind of diabolic concentration on the one purpose
of slaughter。
Of the huge guns； the 12。5's； weighing 40 tons apiece； and boxed
and rifled to the nicety of the thousandth part of an inch （I have
watched them being made at Sheffield）。
Of the larger 15 in。 guns； with range of 13 or 14 miles； so accurate
that the shells thrown at that distance will deviate hardly a couple
of yards to the right hand or the left of their line of fire （and in
the Jutland battle the firing opened at nearly 11 miles）。
Of the still larger guns even now being constructed。
Of the shells themselves varying from a few pounds to nearly； a ton
in weight； and so delicately fashioned that the moment of their
explosion can be positively timed to the tenth part of a second：
When one thinks of the ingenuity put into aeroplanes and airships；
and almost entirely with a view to the destruction of life；
Of the automatic steering of submarine torpedoes by means of gyroscopes；
so that when deviated by any obstacle or accident from their set
course they will actually return of themselves to that course again；
Of the everlasting duel going on in any one country between armour
plates and projectiles but of course always between the armour
plates of one firm and the projectiles of another （since obviously
for any one firm to prove its own inferiority in either line would
be bad business）！
Of the competition even now in progress between the Russian
universities for the invention of a new explosive or a new gas
more devastating than any hitherto produced；
Of the weighty Advisory Committee of scientific Experts sitting
permanently in Britain for the discussion and handling of the
technical problems of the War；
When one thinks of what a Paradise all this ingenuity； all this
expenditure of labour and treasure； might make of our mortal Earth if
it were only decently employed；
That Great Britain alone has already spent on the War enough to
provide every family in the whole kingdom with a comfortable cottage
and an acre of land；
When further one thinks of all the mass of human material there
is； such as we have already described of the very finest quality；
and fit to build the most splendid races and cities 〃the sun
ever shone upon〃 and then that it is being used for these utterly
senseless purposes；
How heart…rending the waste and the folly！ How disgusting the sin
of those who are responsible！
But to…day surely the armies themselves of these three countries
are beginning to see through the illusions which have been dangled
before then so long by those in power the 〃My…country right…or…wrong〃
kind of Patriotism which has so often been evoked only in order
to serve the plots of private schemers；
They are surely beginning to see that the directing of State…policy
and foreign relations must no longer be left in the hands of a
few highborn diplomats （mostly ignorant of the actual modern world
amid which they live）； but must be subject to the severest scrutiny
and surveillance by the people at large and their representatives；
They are beginning to see that if courage； devotion to an Idea；
love of the Father… or Mother…land； Fidelity of comrade to comrade；
Efficiency； daring in Adventure； exactness in Organization； and
so forth； are the qualities which in the past have made the profession
of