New York Times Current History; The European War, Vol 2, No. 5, August, 1915Various
History
New York Times Current History; The European War, Vol 2, No. 5, August, 1915
Various
World War, 1914-1918
To devise the wise constitution of an international council or
commission with properly limited powers, and to determine the most
promising composition of an international army and an international
navy are serious tasks, but not beyond the available international
wisdom and goodwill, provided that the tasks be intrusted to
international publicists, business men of large experience, and
successful administrators, rather than to professional diplomatists
and soldiers. To dismiss such a noble enterprise with the remark that
it is "academic," or beyond the reach of "practical" politics, is
unworthy of courageous and humane men; for it seems now to be the only
way out of the horrible abyss into which civilization has fallen. At
any rate, some such machinery must be put into successful operation
before any limitation of national armaments can be effected. The war
has shown to what a catastrophe competitive national arming has led,
and would probably again lead the most civilized nations of Europe.
Shall the white race despair of escaping from this hell? The only way
of escape in sight is the establishment of a rational international
community. Should the enterprise fail after fair trial, the world will
be no worse off than it was in July, 1914, or is today.
Whoever studies the events of the past year with some knowledge of
political philosophy and history, and with the love of his neighbor in
his heart, will discover, amid the horrors of the time and its moral
chaos, three hopeful leadings for humanitarian effort, each involving
a great constructive invention. He will see that humanity needs
supremely a sanction for international law, rescue from alcoholism,
and a sound basis for just and unselfish human relations in the great
industries, and particularly in the machinery industries. The war has
brought out all three of these needs with terrible force and
vividness. Somehow they must be met, if the white race is to succeed
in "the pursuit of happiness," or even to hold the gains already made.
CHARLES W. ELIOT.
"Revenge for Elisabeth!"
_The Vienna "Arbeiter Zeitung" of June 22, 1915, prints the appeal of
Dr. Wolfgang Madjera, a well-known authority on municipal affairs,
which he has issued to Austrian soldiers departing for the Italian
front. He says:_
"The day has arrived," says Herr Madjera, "when you will have to
revenge your murdered Empress [the late Empress Elisabeth who was
murdered in Geneva by an Italian named Luccheni]. It was a son of that
land which has now committed a scandalous act of treason on Austria
who made your old Emperor a lonely man on his throne of thorns. Take a
thousandfold revenge on the brethren of that miserable wretch.
Austria's warriors feel the strength within them to defeat and smash
with iron hand the raised hand of the murderer. It is Luccheni's
spirit which leads the army of our enemy. May Elisabeth's spirit lead
our spirit!"
A Year of the War in Africa and Asia
By Charles Johnston
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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