EVERY WAR A CIVIL WAR

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2376, 4 February 1915, Page 9

EVERY WAR A CIVIL WAR

"From the standpoint of Christianity thero is no such thing as a foreign war. Every war is a civil war. If the phrase brotherhood of man 1 is anything except cant, it means that nearly all Europe is now engaged in wholesale fratr-i cidc," writes William' Lyon Phelpe, Professor of English Literature at Yale, in tho "North American Review." "It is a. curious result of this war that many persons are wondering whether or not Christianity is a failure. Without stopping to inquire how a remedy can bo a failuro when it is not given a trial, it looks to me as if everything was a failure except Christianity; and that it might fie a good idea in the future for America to try Christianity and see how it works. "Diplomacy has totally failed; one of the chief purposes of diplomacy is to avert disaster, to ward off bloodshed, and we are witnessing the worst war in history. Socialism is a total, ignominious, laughable failure; before the war the Socialists in Europe, knowing well that if they all united/ regardless of boundary lines, they might put a stop to war, told the world what great things they would do for the cause of peace; how they, at any rate, would not be; deceived by any false sentiment about a country's flag. But at' the first outbreak of the war the Sooialists in each country flew eagerly to anna. Science and learning are failures, for all the efforts of lonely men. in laboratories to preserve human life and" to save the .body from . suffering are gated in a day. Learning is a failure, because it did not prevent the tidejjf barbarism from controlling Europe; and during the war there is not even the pretence of going on with it. ' "Armaments which have stolen the money that might have been used to elevate and improve mankind aro a colossal failure, as we who believe in peace have always, known. We were never deceived by the legend that' the surest way to prepare for peace was to get ready for war; it was certain that Booner or later those who had the guns would use them. It is to be hoped that their scientific curiosity on Uie question of efficiency is already satisfied. "Even now some Americane are insisting' that we go in for increased armaments and a great navy; that we should take money needed for education and internal improvements and spend it on fighting. machines. "Would it not be well to givo Christianity a trial? The religion of Christ is as reasonable as it is noble. It is the only method of-.settling quarrels that combines absolute good sense with pure ethics. In time of war, for the purpose of Meting death, mutilation, and destruction on those whom we call our brothers, every one is called upon to make heroic sacrifices. Would it not be fine in the future if the United States of America should make some actual sacrifices to prevent war? Would it not be splendid if we actually sustained insults and material damage from some other country and did not fight? A faith is no good unless one is willing to suffer for it. "Peace will never come to this uncivilised planet until some nation shows, not by its professions, but by it's behaviour, that it believes in peace. Some nation will have to suffor in the cause of peace as so many nations have suffered in the evil cause of war. Will it not be fine , , if that nation should turn out to be our own?"