CHAPTERIX

chapterix

thenation,sofar,hasnotfoundaremedyfortheevilthathasovertakenus.ratherinakindofmadnessthatisnotwithoutastrangesplendor,likeashipthatgoesdownwithdrumsbeatingandbannersflying,weareracingtowardtherocks.atthistime,whenwearesorelystrickenandindirepovertyanddebt,wehaveextendedtheresponsibilitiesofempireandofworld—powerasthoughwehadillimitablewealth.oursphereofinfluenceincludespersia,thibet,arabia,palestine,egypt—avastpartofthemohammedanworld.yetifanypartofourpossessionsweretobreakintorevoltorraisea“holywar”againstus,weshouldbehardpressedformentoupholdourpowerandprestige,andourtreasurywouldbecalleduponinvainforgold.afterthewarwhichwastocrushmilitarismtheairforcealoneproposedanannualexpenditureofmorethantwiceasmuchmoneyasthewholecostofthearmybeforethewar.whilethearmamentsofthegermanpeople,whomwedefeatedinthewaragainstmilitarism,arerestrictedtoafewwarshipsandanavyof100,000menatacostreckonedas£10,000,000ayear,wearethreatenedwithanavalandmilitaryprogramcosting£300,000,000ayear.wasitforthisourmenfought?wasittoestablishanewimperialismupheldbythepowerofgunsthat900,000boysofoursdiedinthewarofliberation?iknowitwasotherwise.therearepeopleatthestreet-cornerswhoknow;andinthetram-carsandfactoriesandlittlehousesinmeanstreetswherethereareemptychairsandtheportraitsofdeadboys.

itwillgohardwiththegovernmentofenglandifitplaysagrandiosedramabeforehostilespectatorswhorefusetotakepartinit.itwillgohardwiththenation,foritwillbeengulfedinanarchy.

atthepresenttime,inthisaugustof1919,wheniwritethesewords,fiveyearsafteranotheraugust,thisenglandofours,thisenglandwhichilovebecauseitshistoryisinmysoulanditsbloodisinmybody,andihaveseenthegloryofitsspirit,issick,nighuntodeath.onlygreatphysiciansmayhealit,anditsoldvitalitylingagainstdisease,anditsoldsanityagainstinsanity.ourempireisgreaternowinspaciousnessthaneverbefore,butourstrengthtoholdithasebbedlowbecauseofmuchdeath,andastraintoolongendured,andstranglingdebts.theworkmanistiredandhasslackenedinhiswork.inhisschemeoflifehedesiresmoreluxurythanourpovertyaffords.hewantshigherwages,shorterhours,andlessoutput—reasonabledesiresinourstatebeforethewar,unreasonablenowbecausethecostofthewarhasputthembeyondhumanpossibility.hewantslowpriceswithhighwagesandlesswork.itisfalsearithmeticanditsfalsitywillbeprovedbyatremendouscrash.

somecrashmustcome,tragicandshockingtooursocialstructure.iseenoescapefromthat,andonlythehopethatinthatcrisistheveryshockofitwillrestorethementalbalanceofthenationandthatallclasseswillcombineunderleadersofunselfishpurpose,andfinevision,eagerforevolutionandnotrevolution,forpeaceandnotforblood,forchristiancharityandnotforhatred,forcivilizationandnotforanarchy,toreshapetheconditionsofoursociallifeandgiveusanewworkingorder,withmoreequalityoflaborandreward,dutyandsacrifice,libertyanddisciplineofthesoul,combiningthevirtueofpatriotismwithagenerousspirittootherpeoplesacrosstheoldfrontiersofhate.thatisthehopebutnotthecertainty.

itisonlybythathopethatonemaylookbackuponthewarwithanythingbutdespair.allthelivesofthoseboyswhomisawgomarchinguptheroadsoffranceandflanderstothefieldsofdeath,sosplendid,solovelyintheiryouth,willhavebeenlaiddowninvainifbytheirsacrificetheworldisnotupliftedtosomeplanealittlehigherthanthebarbaritywhichwasletlooseineurope.theywillhavebeenbetrayediftheagonytheysufferedisforgottenand“thewartoendwar”leadstopreparationsfornew,moremonstrousconflict.

oriswarthelawofhumanlife?istheresomethingmorepowerfulthankaisersandcasteswhichdrivesmassesofmenagainstothermassesindeath-leswhichtheydonotunderstand?arewereallypoorbeastsinthejungle,strivingbytoothandclaw,highvelocityandpoison-gas,forthesurvivalofthefittestinanendlessconflict?ifthatisso,thengodmocksatus.or,rather,ifthatisso,thereisnogodsuchaswemenmaylove,withloveformen.

theworldwillnotacceptthatmessageofdespair;andmillionsofmento-daywhowentthroughtheagonyofthewarareinspiredbythehumblebeliefthathumanitymaybecuredofitscrueltyandstupidity,andthatabrotherhoodofpeoplesmorepowerfulthanaleagueofnationsmaybefoundedintheworldafteritspresentsicknessandoutoftheconflictofitsanarchy.

thatisthenewvisionwhichleadsmenon,andifwecanmakeonestepthatwayitwillbebetterthanthatbackwardfallwhichcivilizationtookwhengermanyplayedthedevilandledusallintothejungle.thedevilingermanyhadtobekilled.therewasnootherway,exceptbyhelpingthegermanstokillitbeforeitmasteredthem.nowletusexorciseourowndevilsandgetbacktokindnesstowardallmenofgoodwill.thatalsoistheonlywaytohealtheheartoftheworldandourownstate.letusseekthebeautyoflifeandgod'struthsomehow,rememberingtheboyswhodiedtoosoon,andallthefalsityandhatredofthesepastfiveyears.bybloodandpassiontherewillbenohealing.wehaveseentoomuchblood.wewanttowipeitoutofoureyesandsouls.letushavepeace.