第1章

AprotestandawarningaddressedtothepeoplesofEurope

EdwardCarpenter

NeveragainmustthisThinghappen。Thetimehascome——ifthehumanracedoesnotwishtodestroyitselfinitsownmadness——formentomakeuptheirmindsastowhattheywilldointhefuture;fornowindeedisittruethatwearecometothecross—roads，westandatthePartingoftheWays。

TherapidandenormousgrowthofscientificinventionmakesitobviousthatViolencetentimesmorepotentandsinisterthanthatwhichwearewitnessingto—daymayveryshortlybeavailableforouruse——orabuse——inWar。OntheotherhandwhocandoubtthattherapidgrowthofinterchangeandunderstandingamongthepeoplesoftheworldisdailymakingWarfareitself，andthebarbaritiesinevitablyconnectedwithit，moreabhorrenttoourcommonhumanity？

Whichoftheselinesarewetofollow？Alongwhichpatharewetogo？

Thisisaquestionwhichthemass——peoplesofEuropeinthefuture——andnotmerelytheGovernments———willhaveseriouslytoponderanddecide。

Thatbodiesofmen——ashashappenedahundredtimesinthetrenchesinNorthernFranceandevenontheEasternFront——shouldexchangemorningsalutationsandsongsinhumorousamity，andthenatawordofcommandshouldfalltoshootingeachother;

Thatpeasantsandartisans，andshopkeepersandstudentsandschoolmasters，whohavenoquarrelwhatever，whoonthewholeratherrespectandhonoureachother，shouldwithexplosivebombsdeliberatelyblowoneanothertobitssothateventheirownmotherscouldnotrecognizethem;

Thathumanbeingsshoulduseeverydevilishinventionofsciencewiththeonepurposeofmaiming，blinding，destroyingthoseagainstwhomtheyhavenopersonalgrudgeorgrievance;

Allthisissheermadness。

Onlyashorttimeagoaprivatesoldiersaidtome:"Yes，wehadgottobesuchfriendswiththoseBavariansinthetrenchesoveragainstusthatifwehadreturnedthereagainIbelievenothingcouldhavemadeusfightwitheachother;butofcoursethatpointwasperceivedandweweremovedtoanotherpartoftheLine。"

WhatacriticisminafewwordsonthewholeWar！

Ahundredtimesthisorsomethingsimilarhashappened，andahundredandathousandtimesthese’enemies’whohavemadlymutilatedeachotherhave——afewminuteslater——beenonlytoogladtodresseachother’swoundsandsharethelastcontentsoftheirwater—bottles。

Byalltheheart—rendingexperienceswhichhavenowbecomesocommonandfamiliartous;

Bythefactthatto—daythereishardlyafamilyoverthegreaterpartofEuropethatisnotgrievingbitterlyoverthelossofsomedearestmemberofitscircle;

Bythewhitefacesofthewomencladinblack，whomoneseeseverywhereinthestreetsofBerlinandBrusselsandParisandVienna，ofLondonandMilanandBelgradeandPetrograd;

Bythesufferingsoffamine—strickenPoland，ravagedalreadythreeorfourtimesinthelasttwoyearsbyopposingandalternatearmies;

BytheawfulsufferingsofthesixorsevenmillionJewsoftheRussianPale，houndedhomelessinwintertoand，frooverthefrozenearththeoldmenandwomenandchildrenperishingofexposure，fatigue，andstarvation;

BytheagonyofSerbia，andthedespairofBelgium;

Thismustnotbeagain！

Bythefiveorsixmillionactualcombatantsalreadyslain;and，thestrangespectacleofmillionsofWomen（overhalfamillioninBritain，moreinFrance，multitudesinGermanyandAmerica）

manufacturingman—destroyingexplosiveshellsinceaselessstreambydayandnight;

（Anditisestimatedthatontheaveragesomefiftyshellsareexpendedforeveryonemanslain）

Bytheterrifiedfaces——asofdrowningmen——ofthosesufferingincountlesshospitalsfromshell—shock;bytheirtremblinghandsand，limbsandhorribledreamsatnight——pursuedbyanever—livinghorror;

Bythecursesofthetender—heartedfriendwhocollectsinNo—man’s—landbetweenthelinesthescatteredfragmentsofhiscomrade’sbody——thedabsofflesh，thehand，theheadheknowssowell，abootwithafootstillinit——andputsthemalltogetherinasackforburial;

Bythesilentstupefactionofwivesandmotherstryingvainlytopicturetothemselvesadeathwhichcannotbepictured;bytheinsanelaughterofthosewhohavingwitnessedthesethingscannolongerweep;

Thismustnotbeagain！

BythebeachatGallipolicoveredwiththeprostrateandwrithingformsofmenexhaustedandemaciatedwithdysentery，whohavecrawleddownfromthehillsonlytolieoutthereintheterriblesuntormentedwithfliesandthirst，ortoshiverthroughthefrostynight，waitingforthetardyarrivaloftheHospitalShip;

Bythehundredsofbodiesthrownatthelastintotheseaatsunrise，fortheirunceremoniousend;

Andeachpoorbodyforallitsloathsomestatesoloved，solovedbysomeonefaraway;

BythedearLordwhointhebeautifullegenddescendedforthreedaysintoHellthathemightredeemmankind;butthesehavelivedinanactualHellforweeksandmonthstogether——

Thismustnotbeagain！

BythegrowthandexpansionofScience（Godforgivetheword！）whichwillinevitablymakeeachfuturewarmoredevilishandinhumanthanthelast;

BythecryoftheblackandcolouredpeoplesoftheEarthwhohaveforlongenoughalreadysaidhowhardandcruelthefacesofthewhitemenseemedtothem，andwhonowthinkhowblacktheirsoulsare;

Bythehardnessofheart，theinsensitivenessofacertainkind，whichduringacenturyormorenowhasbeenbredbytheinstitutionsofCommercialism;

Bythehabitualbetrayal，throughlongperiodsof’prosperity’and`peace，’ofmenbytheirfellows——oftheweakbythepowerful，ofthegenerousbythemean，ofthesimpleandthoughtlessbythecraftyandselfish;

BythehugedividendsdeclaredbyArmamentFirms;bytheinternationalagreementsofthesefirmswithoneanother，eventocozentheirownrespectiveGovernments;

Bythehundredsandhundredsofthousandsofinnocentfolktrampledunderfootintheditchofcompetition，themad，raceinwhichthedeviltakesthehindmost;

Bythetreacherousinternalwarfareoftheordinaryindustriallifeofeverycountry，thesecretbetrayalandmurderofbodiesandsoulsforprofit——atlastwrittenoutinlettersofbloodandfireacrossthecontinents，foralltobehold——

Thismustnotbeagain！

LettheAlliesbyallmeansaccuseGermanyofworld—ambitionandworld—plunder，andlettheGermanpeopleaccusetheirPrussianlordsbutleteverynationalsosearchitsownheartandaccuseitself。

Forhavenotthelordsofeverynationsetbeforethemselvesthesamegoal，thegoalofworld—ambitionandgloryand’empire’andplunder？Andhavenotthemass—peoplesofeverynationstoodmeanlybyandacclaimedthefraud，norspokenoutagainstit，silentlyconsentingtothesethingsintheprospectofsomeadvantagealsotothemselves？

Havenotallthenationswithoutexceptionactedmeanlyanddastardlytowardstheoutlyingblackraces，andeventowardsthosemorecivilizedpeopleswhomtheythoughtweakerthanthemselves——andnowinthestressofwararetheynotfindingthattheirownrightsandlibertiesarebeingslowlyfilchedfromthem？

Yes，thatis，theendofGloryandofGreed。

Butthedayofgloryisdeparted。Thenewspapers，itistrue，stillkeepupthephrase。Theytalkofabattalion"coveringitselfwithglory。"Butthementhemselvesdonottalkso。Theyknowtoowellwhatitallmeans。Theyseenogloryincoveringthemselveswiththebloodoftheirbrothersoftheopposingtrenches;withwhomafewmomentsbeforetheywerejoininginsongsandjokes。

Theyonlysay:Nowthatwehavebegun，wewillseeitthrough——butitmustnotbeAgain。

NeverIthinkinallthehistoryoftheworldhastherebeenathingsogreatinitswayasthepresentBritishArmyandNavy。Thisenormousforce，raised——exceptforasmallremnant——byVoluntaryenlistmentfromallclassesofthenation，andinspiredmorebyageneralandprotectivesensetowardstheMotherlandthanbyanythingelse，hasfulfilledwhatitconsideredtobeitsdutyanditshonourwithadevotionandaheroismunsurpassed。Itwereimpossibletostayandrecountitsmanywonderfuldeeds。

Ayoungofficersaidtomeoneday——"Horribleasthewholethingis，yetitalmostseemsworthwhile，whenyouthinkofthesplendidthingsdone——anddonetooinsuchasimplematter—of—factway:whenyouthinkofalltheloveanddevotionpouredout，andthelivesourmenhavegivenoneforthesakeofanother。"

Greatindeedisthespiritofsuchanarmy，greatitsmagnanimity，itssimplicityofmind，itsunself—consciousness，itssingleconcentrationonitspurpose。

Yetperhapsthemostsurprisingthingaboutourmenisthattheyhavedoneallthiswithsolittlehatredintheirheartsfortheenemy。

WhatevertheGermansmayhavefelt，andwhatevertheFrench，theBritishershavejustdonetheirfightingintheirownnonchalantway"becausetheyhadto"——withscarcelyashadowofmaliceorrevenge——ratherwiththatrespectforadoughtyopponentwhichalwaysdistinguishesthetruefighter。

Thinkofthatquaintstory（BetweenTheLines，byBoydCable，pp188ff）

oftheGermanBurschenintheirtrenches，singingwithpiousenthusiasmtheSongofHate（probablycommandedandcompelled，poordevils，tosingit）

andourmenfordayssecretlylistening，learningthewords，practicingthetuneontheirmuffled，mouth—organs;tillhavinggotitallcompletetheyonemorning，burstitforthinfullchorusontheastonishedTeutons，norfailedattheendtoblazeout"GottstrafeEngland"atthetopof，theirvoicesasiftheyreallymeantit——andthensubsidedintoaroaroflaughter。TheysimplywouldnottaketheGerman"Hate"seriously。

Well，whatcananenemydowithsuchanarmy？Itwouldseemindeedtobeinvincible。

TheothersurprisingthingaboutthisArmyis（butitisalsoinparttrueoftheRussiansandothers）thatthemembersofitnotonlybearsolittlemaliceintheirheartofheartsagainsttheenemy，butthatallthetimethey（ornine—tenthsofthem）aregivingtheirlife—blood，foraCountrywhichinhardlyanyavailableoradequatesensecanreallybesaidtobelongtothem。

Notonemanofoursinten，probablynotoneinahundred，hasanydirectrightsorinterestinhisnativesoil;andtheMotherlandhastoooften（atanyrateinthepast）turnedoutastepmotherwhodisownedhimlaterwhencrippledinherservice。

Heistoldthatheisfightingforhiscountry，buthefindsthathisrealprivilegeistodieatthefootofaTrespass—boardonsomerichman’sestate，singingbravelytothelastthat"Britonsnever，nevershallbeslaves！"Heistoldthatheisdefendinghishearthandhishome，andtoprovethatthatisso，heissentoutonafarcampaigntofurthersomedubiousscheme——inMesopotamia！Ithinkwecannotrefusetosaythatthegoodtemperandtheysingle—heartednessandthesinglemindednessoftheBritishsoldierarebeyondallpraise。

But，inanotherway，howadmirableandhowgreathastheFrenchsoldierprovedhimselftobe！

ThepassionofPatriotism，thesheerloveoftheirowncountry（inthecaseoftheFrench，moretruly"theirown"thaninthecaseoftheBritish）hassweptthroughFranceinawaveofdevotionwhichconsumedinitsflame，onemayalmostsay，theenergiesandthetreasuresofeveryhousehold。Toprotecttheirbeautifulland，theirdivinemistress，fromviolationbytheGermanhordeswasathingforwhichallmen——artists，literarymenandall——weregladtodie。

WhenatMeauxtheFrencharmy（reorganizedandreinforced）brokethroughtheGermancentreandfelluponVonKluck’sleftflank（hisrightbeingalreadythreatenedbytheFrenchSixthArmy），theyweresurelynotmenwhofought，butspiritsrather——manyofthemalmostghosts，whitewiththefatiguesandprivationsofalongretreat;buttosavetheirbelovedParistheyfacedtheenemywithafurythatnothingcouldresist。

Amiraclewaswrought（talkofAngelsatMons，itwasDevilsatMeaux），andGermanyinthatmomentwasdefeated——eventhoughittooktwoyearsmoretomakeheracknowledgeherdefeat。

ThinkofLieutenantPericardwhoinatrenchfullofcorpsesatBois—brulecried，suddenlyentranced，inaloudvoice，"Deboutlesmorts！"

andinamoment，asitwere，thesoulsoftheirdeadcomradeswerearoundhismen，inspiringthemtovictory。

WhenagainatVerdunweekafterweekandmonthaftermonththeFrencharmyenduredtinealmosthourlymass—attacksoftheenemybattalionsandthedelugeoftheirshells（eightmillionshells，itisestimatedtheGermansthrewintenweeks），itstill，thoughheavilypunished，stoodsolid，andthewholeofFrancestoodsolidbehindit。Franceneverdoubtedtheconclusion;andtheconclusionwasneverdoubtful。

Wehavespokenof`glory，’butthedayof`lagloire’hasdeparted。

Franceherselfhasceasedtospeakofit——andtherecanbenobetterproofthanthat，ofthechangethathascomeoverthemindsofmen。

FrancehasemergedfromtheWarachangednation。Thepeoplewhoin1870maderibaldversesandsangcynicalsongsovertheplightoftheircountryarenownomore，andFranceemergesserious，resolute，tothegreatworkwhichshehasbeforeher——ofbuildingthegreatfirstDemocraticStateofEuropeandbecomingthecorner—stoneofthefutureEuropeanConfederation。

AndwhatshallwesayoftheGermanarmy？（InthemomentandmerelyforthesakeofbrevityIleavetheBelgians，Russians，ItaliansandSerbiansaside。）

WhenIthinkofthegreatGermanarmynowscatteredoverEurope，fightingalongthatimmenseline（includingtheAustrianportion）

ofsome1，400milesinextent;whenIthinkofthisonthewholesowonderfullygoodhearted，genial，sociablepeople，theseregimentsofWestphalians，Wurtemburgers，Saxons，Bavarians，Hungarians，thesemenandboysfromthefieldsandfarmsofPosenandPomerania，theforestsofThuringia，thevineyardsoftheRhineorthevegetablegardensofthePalatinate，thesestudentsfromtheUniversitiesandscholarsfromtheTechnicalSchools;plungedinthisinsaneWar，fightinginverytruthfortheyknownotwhat，andpouringouttheirlife—blood，likewaterinobediencetothelong—preparedschemesoftheirrulers——Iamseizedwithanimmensepity。

TheyhavebeentoldtheyarefightingtosavetheirFatherland。

Andasfarasourargumentisconcerneditdoesnotmatterhowfalselytheyhavebeeninstructedorwhatgrainofactualtruththeremaybeinthecontention。

Thepointisthatthevastmajorityofthembelievethistobetrue;andtheytoo，dearchildren，aregivingtheirlivesfortheirhearthsandhomes——theytooareleadingthishatefulexistenceintrenchesandmines，calledtoitbywhatseemstothemagoodconscience，andcarriedonward（incompanywiththosetheyhaveleftathome）inthemadmillraceofpublicopinion。

Howeverwemay，blametheGermanHighCommand——andcertainlywemustblamethoseinpower，whooversuchalongperioddeliberatelypreparedthiswar，andatthelastsosuddenlylaunchedituponEurope。

HoweverwemayblametheGermanHighCommand，wecannotrefusetoacknowledgethereallygreatqualitiesoftheirgeneralArmy:

itsextraordinarycourageanddevotion，itsversatilityandresource。

Astoitsgoodheartedness，thatisprovedbytheendlessstoriesofspontaneousfriendlinessshownbytheGermantroopseventotheirenemies，theindividualrapprochementsonoccasions，thesuccourtothewounded，theChristmassongsandcelebrations，andbythefactofadvancesofthiskindsooftencomingfirstfromtheGermanside。

Astoitsgoodsense，thatelementcertainlyhasnotbeenwanting。

Amongthestories’above—mentionedascomingfromtheFrontisonewhichIhaveeveryreasontobelieveistrue。TheSaxonsoneday，intheirtrenchesthirtyorfortyyardsaway，putupablackboardonwhichwaswritten:"TheEnglisharefools！"Theboardwasofcoursepepperedwithbullets，andwentdrown。Presentlyitreappearedwith"TheFrencharefools！"writtenonit。Beingdulypepperedagainitwentdown，andcameupwith"TheRussiansarefools！"Sametreatment。Butwhenit，orasimilarboard，appearedforthefourthtime，lo！theinscriptionwas"TheAustriansarefools！";andwhenitappearedforthefifthtime，"TheGermansarefools！";andthesixthtime，"Weareallfools！"

Idon’tthinktherecouldbemuchbettersensethanthat。