按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
watched them being made at Sheffield）。
Of the larger 15 in。 guns； with range of 13 or 14 miles； so accurate
that the shells thrown at that distance will deviate hardly a couple
of yards to the right hand or the left of their line of fire （and in
the Jutland battle the firing opened at nearly 11 miles）。
Of the still larger guns even now being constructed。
Of the shells themselves varying from a few pounds to nearly； a ton
in weight； and so delicately fashioned that the moment of their
explosion can be positively timed to the tenth part of a second：
When one thinks of the ingenuity put into aeroplanes and airships；
and almost entirely with a view to the destruction of life；
Of the automatic steering of submarine torpedoes by means of gyroscopes；
so that when deviated by any obstacle or accident from their set
course they will actually return of themselves to that course again；
Of the everlasting duel going on in any one country between armour
plates and projectiles but of course always between the armour
plates of one firm and the projectiles of another （since obviously
for any one firm to prove its own inferiority in either line would
be bad business）！
Of the competition even now in progress between the Russian
universities for the invention of a new explosive or a new gas
more devastating than any hitherto produced；
Of the weighty Advisory Committee of scientific Experts sitting
permanently in Britain for the discussion and handling of the
technical problems of the War；
When one thinks of what a Paradise all this ingenuity； all this
expenditure of labour and treasure； might make of our mortal Earth if
it were only decently employed；
That Great Britain alone has already spent on the War enough to
provide every family in the whole kingdom with a comfortable cottage
and an acre of land；
When further one thinks of all the mass of human material there
is； such as we have already described of the very finest quality；
and fit to build the most splendid races and cities 〃the sun
ever shone upon〃 and then that it is being used for these utterly
senseless purposes；
How heart…rending the waste and the folly！ How disgusting the sin
of those who are responsible！
But to…day surely the armies themselves of these three countries
are beginning to see through the illusions which have been dangled
before then so long by those in power the 〃My…country right…or…wrong〃
kind of Patriotism which has so often been evoked only in order
to serve the plots of private schemers；
They are surely beginning to see that the directing of State…policy
and foreign relations must no longer be left in the hands of a
few highborn diplomats （mostly ignorant of the actual modern world
amid which they live）； but must be subject to the severest scrutiny
and surveillance by the people at large and their representatives；
They are beginning to see that if courage； devotion to an Idea；
love of the Father… or Mother…land； Fidelity of comrade to comrade；
Efficiency； daring in Adventure； exactness in Organization； and
so forth； are the qualities which in the past have made the profession
of arms great and glorious； it is these very qualities which will
be demanded and evoked for all future time in the great free
armies of Industry。
For with the cessation of Militarism as the leading principle
of national life must inevitably come the liberation of Industry else
the last state of our societies will indeed be worse than the first。
Truly there is nothing very exhilarating about Industry as it has
in modern times been conceived； and one does not altogether wonder
that all down the centuries the man with the sword has despised
the man with the hoe； since the latter has generally been little
better than a slave。
But when once Labour is freed or rather when once it frees itself from
the thraldom； of the old Feudal system； and finally from the fearful
burden of modern Capitalism when once it can lift its head and
see the great constructive vision of the new society which awaits
it then surely it will perceive that all the great qualities we
have named as exhibited in the past in the old destructive Warfare；
and now become the splendid heritage of the peoples of Europe；
will be necessary and will have a field for their exercise in the
beneficent constructive conquests of Nature and the building up
on Earth of that great City of the Sun which for so many ages has
been the dream and inspiration of Man。
And of the old mad Warfare it will then say This odious and inhuman
Thing must never be again！
In conclusion； and to look to the future：
I think we may see that the new conception of life will only come
through the peeling off in the various nations of the old husks
of the diplomatic； military； legal； and commercial classes； with
their antiquated； narrow…minded and profoundly。 irreligious and
inhuman standards those husks which have so long restricted and
strangulated the growing life within。
It will only come with the determination of the workers
（that is； of everybody） to produce things useful； profitable； and
beautiful； in free and rational co…operation things useful because
deliberately made for use； things profitable for all because not
made for the gain of the few； and things beautiful because of the
joy and gladness wrought into their very production。
Simultaneously with this peeling off； of the Old； and disclosure
of the New； will of necessity appear indeed it is taking shape
already the blossom of international solidarity and federation the
common cause of Humanity and of Labour liberated over the world。
Naturally such process will not mature all at once。 It may； bit
that the four Western nations； England； France； Italy and Belgium；
combining with some of the neutral States； will constitute the first
European Federationor at any rate the nucleus of a Federation
destined； as it expands to absorb within its borders Germany herself
（of course when she shall have taken on her true republican form）
and the other States in due succession。
Such Federation when firmly consolidated might； it is not unlikely；
still retain for a long period a military system； of some kind；
if only for its own protection against outlying and non European
dangers； but that military system would be small and secondary。
It right reasonably be no more dominant or meddlesome than the
military system of China has been during the last thousand years
in comparison with the massive imperturbability of the great
Chinese Empire itself。
Meanwhile let us remember how important it is for the future of
the world that each nation and people should be free to contribute
its special quality and character to the whole； nor be ridden…over
roughshod by the others；
That each should contribute； in Trade or otherwise； its special
gifts or facilities； and that the Internationalism which already
rules in labour affairs and in Commerce and Science and Fashion
and Finance and Philanthropy and Literature and Art and Music；
should at last be recognized in Politics。
Let us further remember how important it is that every man and woman
should insist on the rights of Personality to preserve sacred his
or her most intimate sense of selfness and duty the very；
essence of Freedom。
Though I do not； for instance； think that a refusal to fight
under any condition or circumstance can reasonably be maintained
to its logical conclusion； and though I certainly would not engage
myself to refuse to fight in any and every case。 Still； I do
honour and respect the genuine conscientious objectors （of whom
there are great numbers） very sincerely。
Some of them may； be narrow…minded and faddist （as conscience often is）；
but let us remember that the great things of History have been
initiated by such folk。
It was they who barred and broke the gladiatorial games at Rome；
it was they； who； steered the 〃Mayflower〃 across the Atlantic；
and started the great Republic of the United States；
And it is they； who are possibly sowing the seed a great Movement
which will spread all over Europe； and ultimately by opposing
compulsory military service inaugurate a world…era of Peace。
（For certainly； without Conscription the Continental Powers would
never have become involved in the present war）
Let us recognize the right and the duty of each man to ponder these
world…problems for himself： to play his part and to make his own
voice heard in the solution of them。
Let us recognize the falsity of Science divorced from the Heart；
and begin to…day to create a political； an economic； and a material
world which shall be the true and satisfying expression of the real
human soul；
Let us acknowledge even at the last that the War may have been
a； necessary evil to show us by contrast the way； of deliverance；
Let us render； homage to those who have given their lives in it；
let us vow that their great sacrifice shall not be in vain； but
shall consecrate for us a new purpose and a new ideal；
Let us believe that Love； not Hatred； is the power by which in the
end the World will be saved；
And let us pray that a Heroism equal to that； shown to…day in the
cause of D