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Show I "WHAT FOOLS WE MORTALS HE." B NJ matter now much we "whoop it up" for the H big war program, and enthuse over the bril- H liant part we hope to see Uncle Sam perform in the H big tragedy that is being enacted, we cannot help H but pause occasionally to consider "What fools H we mortals be." and to wonder of what benefit H has been our long years of progress along the line? H of science, invention, political economy and social H uplift. All these, for which the whole world has H been striving and for which the nations have been H vying for centuries, are all dashed ruthlessly to H one side in favor of the big theatre of wholesale H murder, colossal waste, wide-spread misery and H suffering, which are some of the products of mod- H ern warfare. When we stop to think about it, we H feel thoroughly disgusted with the human animal, M and wonder why a just God, if He total cogniz- B anco of our doings here on earth, can control His H anger and permit an insult to His parentage to B H And still we learn from undoubted sources that H it is no uncommon thing for the opposing armies H to go upon their knees before this same Creator H and ask Him to enlist upon their respective sides H and give them supremacy over their adversaries. H What a mockery they make of Christianity ! H How they set at naught and show their contempt H for the teachings of the meek and lowly Jesus, who H instructed them when smote upon the right cheek B-' to turn the other also. The trouble with the hull hu-ll mnn family is that we believe in all these reforms; V and Christian theories for the other fellow, but I B we do not care to practice them ourselves. Wei V talk peace, peace, while we prepare for war. H But on the other hand, so long as tyrnnts andi H monarchies thirsty for world dominion and power H flourish, how can we hope to gain any lasting H peace. It is a knotty problem, and one that it B would take the infinite wisdom of a God to ans- H wer, but certain it is that there is something rad-, H Ically wrong with social conditions in the world! B today, and it is going to take some terrible catas-1 B trophe, pei'haps the one now being enacted, to H make the men and women of the earth turn to j B each other in the spirit of friendship and co-oper-, B ation, instead of trying to rend each other. And j B as it is the rank and file that has to endure the; H burden, it is up to the rank and file to take a pos-l H itive stand in all nations against war and blood-H blood-H shed, and refuse to be driven into strife and blood-! H shed for the gratification of some cherished desire H on the part of a despotic government, such as that i H in control of Germany. God hasten the day when Hi the common people will be better educated and B take more part in the affairs of government than H they do at present. H At the ballot box and in the arbitration conn- H cils is the sensible place to settle our difference;! H of opinion, not upon the gory battle field. |