BOOKLAND and Thereabout

Maoriland Worker, Volume 2, Issue 39, 1 December 1911, Page 9

BOOKLAND and Thereabout

Rapid Reviews

George R. Kfrkpatrick's "War—What For?"

By R. S. ROSS.

This is probably the. greatest anti."W&jr book ever written. As I think I Eave said before, I defy any member of the working-class to read it without toeing made hater of war, and fierce foe of militarism in any shape or form. !•• gladly do homage to the tremendous value of "The Great Illusion"—literary, reasoning, shattering—and to the ffiyetting merit of "My Country Right or Wrong"—rugged, magnetic, stirring—but "War—What For?" throws mc into the dust -tumble to artievdate ft mysterious and magical adoration. There is a splendour in its pages and & g-lory in its plea that crushes as a battering-ram all dismay and doubt. It convinces. It drives. It inspires. Angell, Herve, • Kirkpatrick—these a •trilogy smashing war as no Bible has smashed Avar or could smash war. Whoever regardless of the teaching of these omen, is fool or knave enough to defend war and armaments is thrice the traitor he bespatters another—is a thing accursed.: the vomit of humanity. a * • George R. Kirkpatrick's distinguished book is unlike any other book evea* written on the subject of war —unlike in its style, its treatmeiit and its overwhelming logic. It is a book for the wage-earner and its philosophy is work-ing-class : its viewpoint the same. * * # Now Norman AngeM's "The Great Illusion" is a mighty book and a staggering, but in a quiet, practical way as befits a book chiefly of finance and business. It is not distinctively work-ing-class. Gustave Herve's "My Country night or Wrong" is marvellously and arrestively working-class, with that French spirit and dash so exquisitely readable, but it isn't so complete nor so rousing a presentation of ihe subject of war as Kirkpatrick's remarkable volume. I wotild not disparage any of the three books mentioned ■—I would mako them oach the indispensable companion of the remainder. Quite fittingly and justifiably one might eulogise to tlie skies each epochal volume —still, for tiie working-class, never a message so passionately nor so comprehensively cfass, v.or in its "altogether" so economically full, clear and sound as "War—What For?" * * # "If with powerful pictures and potent editorials the press of the world will boldy warn the victims of war for thirty days there will never he. another war," declares Kirkpatrick. Well his book is armoured with powerfn? pictures and potent editorials, and if ihe workers of all countries will read it, at is safe io .say wax will end in our lifetime. « • * I have referred to Kirkpatrick's style. It is telegraphic, graphic, breathless —with a plainness one envies, and admirably designed to hold the eye and the mind. As specialist in this style, our author knows his worker, and because he has made a book of facts and figures palpitatingly interesting to the worker he has done a deed of fame. What he has crowded into his work in the shape <ii speaking statistics and pregnant authoritative annotations and quotations aione makes it priceless for reference. ""War —What For?" is strong and daring. Every page is a propagandi&t leaflet, every chapter a movement, every phrase a climax. It is „» force for universal peace, a means for working-class emancipation. This strange, striking and genuinely Eonsationai work is crammed with trenchant arguments, realistic lightning sketches of the gruesoineness and woe of warfare, magnificent impeachment swid indictment of the ruling-class makers of Avar and their methods of money madness. Scathing sarcasm, biting d<V«hnctioii, powerful illustration—with much of horror and more of humanity— are here in abundance, and through "all the burning vigor and class urge a care, a sttreness and a research making each thrust a knock-out blow. No wonder the "Appeal to Reason" says it is "the Most terrible imneachment of the powers and personalities responsible for "war ever- written ,, ; nor that the "Ih"ternational Socialist Review" says* *'This book is a denunciation, an exposition, a revelation." In.wealth of data and cogency of reason it is superbly invincible. * • « On the title-page of "War —What For?" is a piercing sentence from Vict&r Hugo: "The cannon's prey has begun to think, and thinking twice, loses lie. admiration for being made a target." This is ihe keynote of Kirkpatliek's twelve chapters or 350 pages— sv i not the le-ast gratifying feature of the lot is that Kirkpatrick sustains ihroughoßt the captivating solemn and 'serious note he strikes at the outset. T'--*oo w ] lo have perused our excerpts labelled "snapshots," ayill, I think, be surprised to h<->«r that. 4Knv r>nt gems Eere> and there studding prosaic pages, but are relatively commonplace tiro'ps glittering and glinting an ocean of. genius. It is a feat to write a column after the manner of Kirkpatnckj and for meet to try more would

be to overdo It to the point of surfeit and perhaps nausea. This is the author's dedication: "This book is dedicated to the victims of the civil war in industry ; that is, to my brothers and sisters of the working-class, the class who furnish the blood and tears and cripples and corpses in all wars —yet win no victories for their own class." * * • In his preface Kirkpatrick says the ruling class always have first., an armed guard, "rea<3y to defy and defeat and 'mid down and kick the robbed working class," and second, an unarmed guard, —"composed of prideless, purchaseablo human things, social chameleons, moral eunuchs, political flunkies (intellectual prostitutes) ready"—to do quite a number of. cowardly, cunning, and sycophantic duties for the rilling class. His chapters deal with the situation respecting war and also the explanation, the cost of war in blood and in caste (a terrifyingly gripping section) the tricked of the trenches, the relationship of the CVoss, the cannon and the cashregister, and so on. Chapters addressed to fathers and mothers, to boys and girls, are supremely effective in moving

to tears and indignation. Of the Weighty statistics and their presentation here is a sample-— Many of my brothers —my botrayed younger brothers —are soldiers : they have been seduced to serve as Armed Guard. They have been deceived. And they are abused. Many of them are even driven insane. In- . sanity ranks thirst in. the long list of disablements for which our betrayed brothers are dismissed from-the service (report of the Department of War, 1908, p. 21). A whole oar-load of insane soldiers wore shipped through Pittsburg—home from the Philippines—December 11, 1909. These men are indeed betrayed and abused—and ashamed. They even destroy themselves to hide .their shame and escape abuse. Twenty-six as many unlisted men committed sxii 7 cide in 1908 as in 1907 : and thirtynine times as many of committed suicide in 1909 as in 1907." .-» ■ • ' . • ■ •■■-.' Of the author's way of handling the,Church, listen: , Speak! Speak! You leaders of the toil-stained multitude whom the Great Christ of Peace so boldy defended. Speak! ■''"Rebuke the. brutes who betray Christ's Tuimble followers! Spoak!- There is no excuse for silence—on your part. Speak defiantly—and clearly. You liave for nearly two thousand years held the brain of vast portions of the human race in your hands. Have you tau<?ht peaee— effectivefy? Look!—see that gaping war-stab in the breast of the working-class., '■■-. The cash cost of militarise? in ilie- . world for 48 hours would be sufficient to provide a, 150-page book against', war for every person on earth who can read. • « • And now something for the peace societies of New Zealand (whose campaign against conscription. 29 worthy ofall honour): —'. . : The various "peace societies" have published considerable literature on war and peace — \\\ most cases with good intentions, no doubt. Howoviii , ,

there could be no peace "between a chattel slave and a chattel slave's master; nor can there be peace between a wage-slave and a v.ageslave's employer—if the wage-slave be awake; nor between the rageslave class and the capitalist class. Until "peace societies" cry out against capitalism—-the heart of which is the wage-system —-until then thoir literature will be discouragingly ineffective. * * * In the wonderfully condensed, yet comprehensive, chapter entitled "A Short Lesson in the History of the Working-class" we read: Knowledge of the history of the working-class, which includes the history of war, will cement the workers inseparably together—socially, industrially, and politically, and will thus many times nraltiply their pov.er for self-defence. When the working-class understand the history of the working-da ss, a bronze monument erected in horpr of & great general will Irjok to the workers like a vote of '•hanks to the Superintendent of Hell, and an ornamental cannon in a public p/vrk will look like a viper on a banquet table spread for a feast of brothers. * * * This chapter is headed by tlie following vivid remark by Prof. Walter Kausehenbusch (Rochester Theological Seminary) : "We have repeatedly pointed out that every social institution weaves"

a protecting integument of glossy idealisation about itself like a coiony of caterpillars in an apple tree. For instance, wherever militarism rrles, war is idealised by monuments and paintings, poetry and song. The stench of the hospitals and the maggots of the battlelield are passed in silence, and the imagination of the people is filled Avith waving plumes and the shout of charging columns. ,5 •» * ' * ■ Kirkpa trick is clamant in indicating that those who would understand war must give- special attention <1) to.the economic interpretation of history; (2) to the class struggle, considered historically and currently ; and (3) to s\irplus value, produced by the workers, but legally escaping from their control to th© capitalist class. From "What Shall We Do?" is extracted the pithilycorrect statement of how the , <apitalist class proceed, printed separately on this page. The cartoon reproduced is one of a number in the book. A chapter on "Suggestions^—and What to Read" . is full of practical plans for achieving success in downing war, and also contains an attractive and useful reading course. As Kirkpatrick says, "The printing press is the machine-gun for the slaves against slavery." If the readers of ''The Worker" would realise it too! * • * The.-first edition of "War—What For?" was issmul in 1910, and the fifth edition of 30,000 in May of this year. Further editions have since probably been added. I have seen some letters on the book, on«e of which mentions that six boys who were about to enlist in the army, after reading "War— What For?" said they had all the war they wanted without getting into the army. Another letter mentions passing the work round among fanners' boys to "sterilise the love for murder instinct" and succeeding amazingly. Several papers in America have described the work as equal It) Tom Paine , s "Rights of Man" .in power to impress its readers. For writing a similar book against the brutalities, stupidities and villainies of war and, militarism, Karl Liebkneeht. got 18 months' jail in ...Germany.: For writing his book on the futility and criminality of war, and urging working-class insurrection ?at.her than war, Gnstave Hervo i» serving a fou»-

years , sentence in a French prison. Kirkpa trick's turn will come. "Whether or no. you must have his book/and as I and some friends want a copy each —and as by forming a ehih of 25 to. 100, copies can bo hsvd at 'half tin? price of a single volume, I hereby invite any others who may want the work to send nio 3s, and we'll .<-:«> if we ran get- 100 copies in New Zealand. I shall send for the books in December- Its price for single copy is Idol. 20 cents; in clubs or 25, 60 cents each, charges collect. At 3s. each w© should have enough cash to cover freight. Promptly, please. * * * Some .views of eminent men give an idea of the importance of "War—"Whai> For?" Edwin Markham says: 'He shatters all the shibboleths "that influence men to 2,0 to war. He masses his facts in cumulative horror." Charles Edward Russell says, "The most powerful blow ever -dealt against the int.vnity of militarism." Upton Sinclair says. ""Take nay advice about ( this book and get it ... & most extraordinary book ... a perfect cyclopaedia of material.' 5 Eugene- V. Debs says, "This wonderful book —the book of an epoch —an immortal Achievement. 'War— Wltat For? 3 has set fire to all the blood in my veins. 3 ' Rev. J. A. Cairns, D.D., says, "A masterpiece. . . . This t<ok is worthy fhe struggle and toil cf a lifetime. 5, & i> m I am, glad to liavo met this took. You, critical rea-der, may not like nor relish its language, but must admit its strength. Here is a work to win the reader in sheer worship for its brilliancy and its sincerity. Here is a Avork to conquer the belief of wholesome men and women vho seek to prove all, things -and hold fast that \yhi;h is good, tree arid holy. Here are pain and"sorrow and sweat doubling rs up, the straighter to forge; us as inspired warriors upon war.