CHAPTERVII

chaptervii

themencamehomeinaqueermood,startlingtothosewhohadnotwatchedthem“outthere,”andtothosewhowelcomedpeacewithflags.evenbeforetheirhomecoming,whichwasdelayedweekafterweek,monthaftermonth,unlesstheywereluckyyoungminersoutforthevictorypushandbackagainquickly,strangethingsbegantohappeninfranceandflanders,egyptandpalestine.menwhohadbeenlongpatientbecamesuddenlyimpatient.menwhohadobeyedalldisciplinebrokeintodisobedienceborderingonmutiny.theyelectedspokesmentorepresenttheirgrievances,liketrade-unionists.they“answeredback”totheirofficersinsuchlargebodies,withsuchthreateninganger,thatitwasimpossibletogivethem“fieldpunishmentnumberone,”oranyothernumber,especiallyastheirbattalionofficerssympathizedmainlywiththeirpointofview.theydemandeddemobilizationaccordingtotheirtermsofservice,whichwasfor“thedurationofthewar.”theyprotestedagainstthegrossinequalitiesofselectionbywhichmenofshortserviceweresenthomebeforethosewhohadbeenoutin1914,1915,1916.theydemandedjustness,fairplay,anddenouncedredtapeandofficiallies.“wewanttogohome!”wastheirshoutonparade.aseriousbusiness,subversiveofdiscipline.

similarexplosionswerehappeninginengland.bodiesofmenbrokecampatfolkestoneandothercamps,demonstratedbeforetownhalls,demandedtospeakwithmayors,generals,anyoldfellowswhowereinauthority,andrefusedtoembarkforfranceuntiltheyhaddefinitepledgesthattheywouldreceivedemobilizationpaperswithoutdelay.whitehall,thesacredportalsofthewaroffice,theholygroundofthehorseguards'parade,wereinvadedbybodiesofmenwhohadcommandeeredambulancesandlorriesandhadmadelongjourneysfromtheirdepots.they,too,demandeddemobilization.theyrefusedtobedraftedoutforservicetoindia,egypt,archangel,oranywhere.theyhad“donetheirbit,”accordingtotheircontract.itwasforthewarofficetofulfilitspledges.“justice”wasthewordontheirlips,anditwasawordwhichputthewindup(assoldierssay)anystaff-officersandofficialswhohadnotstudiedthelawsofjusticeastheyconcernprivatesoldiers,andwhohaddealtwiththemafterthearmisticeandafterthepeaceastheyhaddealtwiththembefore—asnumbers,counterstobeshiftedhereandthereaccordingtotheneedsofthehighcommand.whatwasthisstrangeword“justice”onsoldiers'lips?...redtapesquirmedandwrithedaboutthebusinessofdemobilization.ordersweremade,communicatedtothemen,canceledevenattherailwaygates.promisesweremadeandbroken.conscriptsweredraftedofftoindia,egypt,mesopotamia,archangel,againsttheirwillandcontrarytopledge.menonfarfronts,yearsabsentfromtheirwivesandhomes,werelefttostaythere,fever-stricken,yearningforhome,despairing.andwhiletheoldwarwasnotyetcoldinitsgravewepreparedforanewwaragainstbolshevikrussia,arrangingforthespendingofmoremillions,thesacrificeofmoreboysofours,notopenly,withtheconsentofthepeople,butonthesly,withafineartofcamouflage.

thepurposeofthenewwarseemedtomanymenwhohadfoughtfor“liberty”anoutrageagainstthe“self—determinationofpeoples”whichhadbeenthefundamentalpromiseoftheleagueofnations,andablatanthypocrisyonthepartofanationwhichdeniedself—governmenttoireland.theostensibleobjectofourinterventioninrussiawastoliberatetherussianmassesfrom“thebloodytyrannyofthebolsheviks,”butthisardorforthelibertyofrussiahadnotbeenmanifestduringthereignofczardomandgranddukeswhenthereweremassacresofmobsinmoscow,bloodysundaysinst.petersburg,pogromsinriga,ingsofmenandgirlsinmanyprisons,andwhenfreespeech,liberalideas,anddemocraticuprisingshadbeensmashedbycossackknoutandbythetortureofsiberianexile.

anyhow,manypeoplebelievedthatitwasnoneofourbusinesstosuppresstherussianrevolutionortopunishtheleadersofit,anditwassuspectedbybritishworking-menthattherealmotivebehindouractionwasnotanobleenthusiasmforliberty,butanendeavortoestablishareactionarygovernmentinrussiainordertocrushaphilosophyoflifemoredangeroustotheoldorderineuropethanhighexplosives,andtogetbackthegoldthathadbeenpouredintorussiabyenglandandfrance.byastrangeparadoxofhistory,frenchjournalists,forgettingtheirownrevolution,thecrueltiesofrobespierreandmarat,theseptembermassacres,thetortureofmarieantoinetteinthetuileries,theguillotiningofmanyfairwomenoffrance,andafter1870theterrorsofthecommune,weremosthorrifiedbytheanarchyinrussia,andmostfierceindenunciationofthebloodylebywhichapeoplemademadbylongoppressionandinfernaltyranniesstrovetogainthelibertiesoflife.

thousandsofbritishsoldiersnewlycomefromwarinfranceweresullenlydeterminedthattheywouldnotbeedofftothenewadventure.theywerenotalone.aslordrothermerepointedout,afrenchregimentmutiniedonhearingamereunfoundedreportthatitwasbeingsenttotheblacksea.theunitedstatesandjapanwerewithdrawing.onlyafewofourmen,disillusionedbythewaysofpeace,missingtheoldcomradeshipoftheranks,restless,purposeless,nothappyathome,seeingnoprospectofgoodemployment,said:“hell!...whynotthearmyagain,andarchangel,oranyoldwhere?”andvolunteeredformr.winstonchurchill'slittlewar.

afterthetroubleofdemobilizationcamepeacepageantsandcelebrationsandflag-wavings.butallwasnotrightwiththespiritofthemenwhocameback.somethingwaswrong.theyputoncivilianclothesagain,lookedtotheirmothersandwivesverymuchliketheyoungmenwhohadgonetobusinessinthepeacefuldaysbeforetheaugustof'14.buttheyhadnotcomebackthesamemen.somethinghadalteredinthem.theyweresubjecttoqueermoods,queertempers,fitsofprofounddepressionalternatingwitharestlessdesireforpleasure.manyofthemwereeasilymovedtopassionwhentheylostcontrolofthemselves.manywerebitterintheirspeech,violentinopinion,frightening.forsometime,whiletheydrewtheirunemploymentpensions,theydidnotmakeanyefforttogetworkforthefuture.theysaid:“thatcanwait.i'vedonemybit.thecountrycankeepmeforawhile.ihelpedtosaveit...let'sgotothe'movies.'”theywerelistlesswhennotexcitedbysome“show.”somethingseemedtohavesnappedinthem;theirwill-power.aquietdayathomedidnotappealtothem.

“areyoutiredofme?”saidtheyoungwife,wistfully.“aren'tyougladtobehome?”

“it'sadullsortoflife,”saidsomeofthem.

theboys,unmarried,hungaboutstreet-corners,searchedfortheirpals,formedclubswheretheysmokedincessantly,andtalkedinanaimlessway.

thenbeganthesearchforwork.boyswithouttraininglookedforjobswithwageshighenoughtogivethemamarginforamusement,afterthecostoflivingdecentlyhadbeenreckonedonthescaleofhighprices,mountinghigherandhigher.notsoeasyastheyhadexpected.thegirlswereclingingtotheirjobs,wouldnotletgoofthepocket-moneywhichtheyhadspentonfrocks.employersfavoredgirllabor,founditefficientand,onthewhole,cheap.youngsoldierswhohadbeenveryskilledwithmachine-guns,trench-mortars,hand-grenades,foundthattheywereclassedwiththeranksofunskilledlaborincivillife.thatwasnotgoodenough.theyhadfoughtfortheircountry.theyhadservedengland.nowtheywantedgoodjobswithshorthoursandgoodwages.theymeanttogetthem.andmeanwhilepriceswererisingintheshops.suitsofclothes,boots,food,anything,wereatdoubleandtreblethepriceofpre-wardays.theprofiteerswererampant.theywereouttobleedthemenwhohadbeenfighting.theyweredefraudingthepublicwithsheer,undisguisedrobbery,andthegovernmentdidnothingtocheckthem.england,theythought,wasrottenallthrough.

whocaredforthemenwhohadriskedtheirlivesandboreontheirbodiesthescarsofwar?thepensionsdoledouttoblindedsoldierswouldnotkeepthemalive.theconsumptives,thegassed,theparalyzed,wereforgottenininstitutionswheretheylayhiddenfromthepubliceye.beforethewarhadbeenoversixmonths“ourheroes,”“ourbraveboysinthetrenches”werewithoutpreferenceintheleforexistence.

employersoflaborgavethemnospecialconsideration.inmanyofficestheyweretoldbluntly(asiknow)thattheyhad“wasted”threeorfouryearsinthearmyandcouldnotbeofthesamevalueasboysjustoutofschool.theofficerclasswashardesthitinthatway.theyhadgonestraightfromthepublicschoolsanduniversitiestothearmy.theyhadbeenlieutenants,captains,andmajorsintheairforce,orinfantrybattalions,ortanks,ortrench-mortars,andtheyhaddrawngoodpay,whichwastheirpocket-money.nowtheywereatalooseend,hatingtheideaofoffice-work,butreadytoknuckledowntoanykindofdecentjobwithsomeprospectahead.whatkindofjob?whatknowledgehadtheyofuseincivillife?none.theyscannedadvertisements,answeredlikelyinvitations,wereturneddownbyelderlymenwhosaid:“i'vehadtwohundredapplications.andnoneofyouyounggentlemenfromthearmyarefittobemyoffice-boy.”theywerethesameelderlymenwhohadsaid:“we'llfighttothelastditch.ifihadsixsonsiwouldsacrificethemallinthecauseoflibertyandjustice.”

elderlyofficerswhohadlosttheirbusinessesfortheircountry'ssake,whowithanobledevotionhadgivenupeverythingto“dotheirbit,”pacedthestreetssearchingforwork,andwereshownoutofeveryofficewheretheyappliedforapost.iknowoneofficerofgoodfamilyanddistinguishedservicewhohawkedroundasubscription—booktoprivatehouses.ittookhimmorecouragethanhehadneededundershell-firetoringthebellandasktosee“theladyofthehouse.”hethankedgodeverytimethemaidhandedbackhiscardandsaid,“notathome.”onthefirstweek'sworkhewasfourpoundsoutofpocket...hereandthereanelderlyofficerblewouthisbrains.anothersuckedarubbertubefastenedtothegas-jet...itwouldhavebeenbetteriftheyhadfallenonthefieldofhonor.

wherewasthenation'sgratitudeforthemenwhohadfoughtanddied,orfoughtandlived?wasitforthisrewardinpeacethatnearlyamillionofourmengaveuptheirlives?thatquestionisnotmyquestion.itisthequestionthatwasaskedbymillionsofmeninenglandinthemonthsthatfollowedthearmistice,anditwasansweredintheirownbrainsbyabitternessandindignationoutofwhichmaybelitthefiresoftherevolutionaryspirit.

atstreet-corners,intramwaycars,intea-shopswhereyoungmentalkedatthetablenexttomineilistenedtoconversationsnotmeantformyears,whichmademehearinimaginationandafaroff(yetnotveryfar,perhaps)thedreadfulrumbleofrevolution,theviolenceofmobsledbyfanatics.itwasthetalk,mostly,ofdemobilizedsoldiers.theyaskedoneanother,“whatdidwefightfor?”andthenotherquestionssuchas,“wasn'tthisawarforliberty?”or,“wefoughtfortheland,didn'twe?thenwhyshouldn'twesharetheland?”or,“whyshouldwebebledwhitebyprofiteers?”

theymentionedthegovernment,andthenlaughedinascornfulway.

“thegovernment,”saidoneman,“isaconspiracyagainstthepeople.allitspowerisusedtoprotectthosewhogrowfatonbigjobs,bigtrusts,bigcontracts.itusedustosmashthegermanempireinordertostrengthenandenlargethebritishempireforthesakeofthosewhograbtheoil-wells,thegold-fields,theminerals,andthemarketsoftheworld.”