New York Times Current History: The European War, Vol 1, No. 1: From the Beginning to March, 1915, With IndexVarious
History
New York Times Current History: The European War, Vol 1, No. 1: From the Beginning to March, 1915, With Index
Various
World War, 1914-1918
the three soldiers who were serving it, and then was seen "fighting and
laying out" the Germans with the butt end of his empty gun, "laughing"
as he did so, until he fell mortally wounded in the body and was carried
away by his servant.
His patient and heroic end is told by Private Derry, and I imagine that
the exhortation to "Stick it, Welsh!" which from time to time he uttered
in his agony, will not soon be forgotten in his regiment. Of that end we
who mourn him can only say in the simple words of Derry's letter, that
he "died as he had lived--an officer and a gentleman."
Perhaps it would not be inappropriate to add as a thought of consolation
to those throughout the land who day by day see their loved ones thus
devoured by the waste of war, that of a truth these do not vainly die.
Not only are they crowned with fame, but by the noble manner of their
end they give the lie to Bernhardi and his school, who tell us that we
English are an effete and worn-out people, befogged with mean ideals;
lost in selfishness and the lust of wealth and comfort. Moreover, the
history of these deeds of theirs will surely be as a beacon to those
destined to carry on the traditions of our race in that new England
which shall arise when the cause of freedom for which we must fight and
die has prevailed--to fall no more.
I am, Sir, your obedient servant,
H. RIDER HAGGARD.
Ditchingham, Norfolk, Oct. 9.
*An Anti-Christian War*
*By Robert Bridges.*
_To the Editor of The [London] Times_:
Sir: Since the beginning of this war the meaning of it has in one
respect considerably changed, and I hope that our people will see that
it is primarily a holy war. It is manifestly a war declared between
Christ and the devil.
The conduct of the German conscripts has demonstrated that they have
been instructed to adopt in full practice the theories of their
political philosophers, and that they have heartily consented to do this
and freely commit every cruelty that they think will terrorize the
people whom they intend to crush. The details of their actions are too
beastly to mention.
Their philosophers, as I read them, teach openly that the law of love is
silly and useless, but that brutal force and cruelty are the useful and
proper means of attaining success in all things. Shortly, you are not to
do to others as you wish they should do to you, but you should do
exactly what you wish they should not do to you; that is, you should cut
their throats and seize their property, and then you will get on.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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