WHAT CAUSES WAR?

Evening Star, Issue 23372, 15 September 1939, Page 14

WHAT CAUSES WAR?

QUESTION RAISED IN 1918 ' A LECTURE RECALLED Some of the causes for which a nation, will go to war were analysed in a lecture given in tho Adelaide Town Hall about the end of the last war, and in (present circumstances it is interesting to recall the sentiments then expressed in relation to the events of to-day (says the ‘ Southland Daily News’). Tho speaker was Professor L. C. Galli. A member of a family well known in Italy, he was visiting Australia at the outbreak of hostilities and enlisted in the Australian Expeditionary Force, Later, when lie was invalided back to Australia, the Commonwealth Government utilised his services as an interstate lecturer. He is now resident in New Zealand.

“ Why did wo fight? Why did we shed so much innocent blood? What was tho cause of it?” Professor Galli asked in his lecture. “ These,” he said, “ are three questions which are topics of the day—questions in many cases badly interpreted and in others badly answered.

“We fought for the freedom of people; we fought to prevent a tyrannical Power from crushing all we hold dear and sacred; we fought to uphold that honour which has always been the by-word of our forefathers. . . . “ Why did we shed so much innocent blood? To this question, as answer, we must oppose other questions. Why did Germany assassinate tho Archduke of Austria? Was not that the blood of an innocent victim ? Why did Germany and hor confederates bleed to death Serbia, Montenegro, Rumania, and Belgium? What had these countries done to induce Germany . . . to act so cruelly against them? Nothing whatever! What was the Germanic aim? World supremacy. And how did she expect to conquer it? Firstly, by her commercial activities, .with which she had already flooded the world; secondly, by the domination of the seas and consequent expansion of territories in annexing colonies—the main spoils of war. . . . The colonies in the possession of France, Italy, and Russia were nothing to Germany compared with the rich ones of Great Britain. BRITAIN’S PLACE. *' Summing up all we have said on commerce, sea supremacy, and colonial power, we see plainly enough that the dark Germanic policy has at all times utilised still darker means to bring about tho downfall of its principal enemy, Great Britain. Having admitted all this, some perhaps may say: ‘ Then, if Germany is trying to crush England only, why is it that France, Italy, and America have so gallantly fought against our personal enemy? Why should they have jeopardised their sons" lives in obtaining victory for others? To those who ask that question I would reply: How cruelly you belittle your glorious country 1 How little you know of European politics! How little of tho esteem—nay, veneration—that we foreigners hold for your mother countryl “ Italy was practically made a nation through the sympathetic co-operation of Great Britain; France, prior’ to that, in its most crucial moments, had already felt the beneficial andl friendly attitude of Great Britain. America could not forget so easily that its inhabitants derived from their old English stock qualities that have made their country one of the leading nations in the world. In all these countries people look upon Great Britain with affection. . . . All of them have fought hard to help to crush Britain’s enemies, for her enemies are theirs also. All of them will restore peace and prosperity to the world or die, like the knights of old, fighting for it; for it is a well-known fact that the safety of civilisation is embodied! principally in the safety of Great Britain itself.

“ There is also another point badly defined by many, and that is patriotism. Here-in Australia we detect daily a great amount of more or less superficial feelings: ‘Love for one’s country!’ Many look upon Australia as their real hereditary mother country—a country already emancipated, a country that could easily be defended by its own sons. Mistake of mistakes! . . . Why should they repudiate the mother that has for nearly 200 years taken so much care of them ?

“ Bishop Berkley says: *Tobe a good patriot a man must consider his countrymen as creatures of God and him-, self as accountable for his acting towards them. . . Therefore a man who has no sense of God or conscience could not be made a guardian of laws, and, if so, certainly not a guardian of his country’s rights. Now, how many are imbued with this sentiment? How many look upon it in the light of religion?” ... The lecturer quoted many graphic examples of this point, and concluded by declaring: ‘‘Logic, more than empty words, should appeal-to all those who have not yet realised that unity of thought and action will alone contribute to the further amelioration of any country, and that the deadly danger zone, cleared by us, will have to bo maintained so at any cost for the sake of posterity.”