One effect of this shock has been to change our attitude towards the
State, and to make us think differently of the rights and duties of the
State.
For many years past, there had been a tendency among us to look to the
State as an omnipotent power whose function and duty were to gratify our
desires and do our bidding. Whatever we wanted, better trade, higher
wages, easier conditions of life, schoolrooms, playgrounds, libraries,
art galleries, food for our children, provision for our old age—and so
on through an endless list—whatever it was, we exploited the State. And
the State, like an indulgent mother, gave in to us all round. Now this
one had his turn, and now that; and there was a good deal of quarrelling
among us as to whose turn came next. There seemed no limit to what the
State could do for us, and no limit either to what we had the right to
demand. It was a demoralizing business—demoralizing to us who got our
way, demoralizing to the State which gave us our way. But it went on
merrily and the wildest expectations were abroad of vast favours yet to
come. A few more teasings, a few more pistols held at the head of the
State, and a ‘scheme’ would be forthcoming which would render us all
happy and good in spite of ourselves.
Then, one fine morning last August, there came a rude awakening. We got
a message from the State couched in language we had never heard before.
‘I require you,’ said the State, ‘to place your property and your lives
at my service. Now and for some time to come, I give nothing but ask
everything. Arm yourselves for my defence. Give me your sons and be
willing that they should die for me. Repay what you owe me. _My_ turn
has come.’
That is how the Real Thing talks to men when it uses the State as its
mouthpiece. Considering how strange and unaccustomed the language was, I
think the response the nation made was to its credit. No sooner did the
State turn its imperative side towards us than an instant peace fell
upon our warring factions. We had all been waiting for that word of
command to make us one—waiting but not knowing what we waited for. Our
demands on the State had been for different things: the State’s demand
on us was for the same thing—for uttermost self-sacrifice. It brought us
together as nothing else could have done. This was the first result of
our contact with the Real Thing.