Memoirs of Bertha von Suttner: The Records of an Eventful Life (Vol. 2 of 2)Suttner, Bertha von
History
Memoirs of Bertha von Suttner: The Records of an Eventful Life (Vol. 2 of 2)
Suttner, Bertha von
Peace; Suttner, Bertha von, 1843-1914; Women -- Austria -- Biography
General Türr pulled out of his pocket a copy of Garibaldi’s appeal and
handed it to me. It is an interesting document, and it makes one realize
how thoughts which are regarded as new have been conceived many years
back, and how they are swallowed up in forgetfulness, no matter how
eloquently they may have been spoken. Ever again and ever again they
have to emerge, like something new, surprising people, until at last
they become common property.
In this appeal Garibaldi points to the enormous armaments of the sixties
(what would he say to-day!); he laments that in the midst of so-called
civilization we fill our lives with mutual threats against one another.
He proposes an alliance of all the states of Europe; then there would be
no more fighting forces on land and sea (that we should be now building
air-fleets he did not foresee), and the enormous funds that have to be
withdrawn from the necessities of the nations for unproductive,
death-dealing purposes might be made available for ends that would
improve property and lift the level of human life; these latter are then
enumerated.
The document also gives satisfactory answers to possible objections.
“What will become of the multitude of men who are serving in the army
and in the navy?”
Rulers would have to study institutions of common utility if their
minds were no longer absorbed in ideas of conquest and devastation....
In consequence of the advance in industry and the greater stability of
commerce, the merchant service would soon take care of the whole
personnel of the navy; the immense and innumerable works and
undertakings which would spring up because of peace, the alliance, and
security, would employ twice as many men as are serving in the army.
The appeal concludes with warm words addressed to those princes to whom
“the sacred duty is intrusted of doing good and cherishing that
greatness which is higher than ephemeral false greatness,—that true
greatness the foundation of which would be the love and the gratitude of
the nations.”
General Türr returned that same evening to Vienna and went the next day
to Budapest, where he finished the laborious preparations for the
Congress.
Two days before the Congress opened we three followed him there. I say
“we three,” for we took our niece Maria Louise with us; we wanted her to
enjoy this journey and the social festivities with us.
I see us on board a Danube steamer. It was a beautiful, sunny September
day. There was quite a little peace band of us,—Malaria, Dr. Kunwald,
the Grollers, husband and wife, and Countess Pötting, “die Hex”; of
friends from abroad,—Frédéric Passy, Gaston Moch and his wife, Yves
Guyot the former Minister, publisher of _Le Siècle_ and a great free
trader before the Lord, the Grelix couple, and M. Claparède from
Switzerland.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account