There is nothing grand. about it but the brass bands and uniforms.

The reason it is inspiring is that only in war the people enjoy that exhilaration that comes from perfect organization and team play, which, if they would manifest them in their daily business of creating values—a divine business-they would love quite as much as when they manifest them in the devil's business of destruction.

Another reason for war is that by inflaming "patriotism" the rulers cause the workers to forget their rights; old, moribund, monarchic ideas are given a new lease of life; absolutism seems still necessary, and the mind of the world is diverted from democracy and turned back to autocracy.

War is the favorite last resort of such men as the czar of Russia and the emperor of Germany and their entourage, because by war dangers and war needs socialism, liberalism, and all movements toward the abolition of privilege are repressed.

Any misunderstanding between Austria and Servia, or between any one country and another, could be easily arranged if the rulers would get together, talk it over, and decide the matter on principles of fair play and equity.

No two nations would go to war if the in

terests of THE PEOPLE were considered. They plunge into carnage simply because they consider the interests of A CLASS, the nobles, the army officers, or the ruling house.

War simply means THE INCAPACITY OF THE RULERS. It is time those ruling classes who make war, and perpetually prepare for war, were set aside.

THE PEOPLE have nothing to gain and everything to lose by great armies and navies, whether maintained in the idleness of peace or in the destructiveness of hostilities.

Tuesday, August 4, 1914.

THE MEEK SHALL INHERIT THE
EARTH

WHEN most people, even professed Christians, hear the saying of Jesus, that "the meek shall inherit the earth," they consider it one of those extreme, Utopian, and idealistic sayings that sound well but are utterly impracticable.

Some time ago a magazine made merry over the idea that the meek would ever get anything in this world, and even offered a prize for any record of a meek person achieving success.

But Jesus had more sense than those worldly wise men who worship Him on Sunday and contemn His wisdom on weekdays.

The meek do and will inherit the earth.

For instance, Europe to-day is a wrangle of violence. Wrath, force, arms, ships, ultimatums, and all sorts of nonmeekness are rampant.

Kaiser and czar, king and emperor, they stand no temporizing. They have drawn the

sword. The whole European system is based upon the rejection of any sort of meekness. The people are war dancing. The women are singing, "Go, my hero, and get the daylights shot out of you because our emperor is peeved!" Millions of armed men march,

Over on this side of the Atlantic folks are rather meek, comparatively speaking. The jingoes couldn't arouse a war furor against Mexico. No two of the United States would think of getting into a fight. There will be no war here, because the people are not getting ready for war, don't want war, and don't consider it among the possibilities.

The United States, the dominant American nation, is permanently committed to peace. What's the result?

THE MEEK ARE INHERITING THE EARTH!

Europe has whetted its axe to destroy billions of dollars' worth of property; we are going ahead creating things.

Europe is murdering ignorant workers who are fools enough to march out and be shot by platoons; we are redeeming deserts, founding new states.

The best blood of Europe-its working blood-comes in a constant stream to the new world.

Every day America grows stronger. Every day Europe grows weaker.

The programme of military arrogance devastates fields, transforms the wheat land into "the melon patch," where the melons are bleached, vulture-plucked skulls. The programme of meekness is raising a bumper crop of corn and cattle.

At the present rate the United States will be richer than combined Europe before long. So perhaps after all Jesus was not such a visionary dreamer.

Above the thunder of artillery, the roar of war drums, the cry of battle-mad hordes comes the word from the calm lips of destiny: "Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth."

Wednesday, August 5, 1914.