MR. BOURASSA'S DANGEROUS PACIFISM.
Two historical truths, undeniable, bright as the shining light of the
finest summer day, which have triumphantly challenged the innumerable
falsehoods to the contrary constantly circulated by Germany, even prior
to the outbreak of the hostilities, are:--
First, that all the countries united under the title--the Allies, have
been energetically in favour of MAINTAINING THE PEACE OF THE WORLD, when
it became evident, for all sensible people, that Germany was eagerly
watching her opportunity to strike the blow she had prepared for the
previous forty years on such a gigantic scale.
Second, that, once engaged in the conflict against their deliberate
will, and in spite of their noble efforts to prevent the war which they
clearly foresaw would be most calamitous, they have always remained the
staunch supporters of the RESTORATION OF PEACE upon the two _sine qua
non_ conditions of JUSTICE and DURABILITY.
To achieve these two objectives, they have been fighting for now more
than four years, at tremendous cost of men and treasures, and they are
determined to fight until victorious.
They would all lay down their arms to-morrow, if the results so
important for the future of Humanity could be secured with certainty.
Like all great causes, PEACE WITH JUSTICE AND DURABILITY has had its
TRUE and its FALSE friends.
The TRUE friends of PEACE were those who realized from the very
beginning of the frightful struggle that it was perfectly useless to
expect it, if the disastrous Prussian Militarism was to be maintained
and allowed to continue threatening Civilization.
The TRUE friends of PEACE were those who pledged their honour not to
sheathe the sword they had been forced to draw before Germany would
acknowledge that she had no right to violate solemn treaties, and would
agree to redeem the crime she had committed in invading the neutral
territory of Belgium which she trampled under her ironed heels and
crucified.
The TRUE friends of PEACE were those who determined to bring Germany to
renounce the abominable principles she has professed, training the mind
of her peoples to believe and proclaim that MIGHT is RIGHT and the only
sound basis of INTERNATIONAL LAW.
The TRUE friends of PEACE were those who, however anxious they were to
have it restored as soon as possible--fervently praying the Almighty to
that purpose--, knowing what are the principles of International Law
recognized by all truly civilized nations, could not forgive Germany,
UNLESS SHE SINCERELY REPENTED, the barbarism she displayed in her
murderous submarine campaign, and practised in Belgium, Northern France
and in every piece of belligerent territory her armies occupied.
The TRUE friends of PEACE were those who clearly understood that to meet
the two essential conditions of JUSTICE and DURABILITY, it was
PRACTICALLY IMPOSSIBLE to secure it by a compromise which could not, by
any means, protect the world against further German attempts at
universal military domination.
The FALSE friends of PEACE were those who said and wrote, in sheer
defiance of truth, that the Allies, more especially England and Russia,
were as much responsible for the war as Germany herself.
The FALSE friends of PEACE were those who falsely alleged that the
Allies were preventing it by their repeated declarations that their
principal war aim was to destroy, not only the German Empire, but also
the German race, thus wilfully and maliciously pretending that to battle
for the abolition of Teutonic militarism, weighing so heavily on all the
nations, was equal, in guilty knowledge, to fighting for an enemy's race
destruction.
The FALSE friends of PEACE were those who were ready to sanction, at any
time, a compromise between HEROIC and criminal war aims, which would
leave future generations to the tender mercies of a Sovereign Power
straining every nerve to dominate the world by the foulest means ever
devised.
The FALSE friends of PEACE were those whose daily effort was to
dishearten their countrymen from the noble and patriotic task they had
bravely undertaken with the strong will to accomplish it at all costs,
knowing, as they did, that it was a question of life or death for human
Civilization.
"Defeatists," as they are called, to mean the shameless supporters of
PEACE negotiations to be opened by the Allies acknowledging their defeat
and the victory of Germany, there were, and there are, in all the
"Allied" belligerent nations. No one need be too much surprised at the
hideous fact. In all countries, at all times, under the direst
circumstances, when it is most important, in very distressing hours,
that all be of one mind, of one heart, to save the nation's existence,
are to be found heartless, low minded, cowardly beings, ready to betray
their countrymen rather than stand the strain of their due share of
sacrifices, or, which is still far worse, for corrupt motives, to
deliver them over to the enemy.
"Defeatists" we have had, we have yet, in Canada, in the Province of
Quebec. Most happily, they are few and far between.
Imbued with the false notions he has so tenaciously ventilated
respecting Canada's participation in the war, it is no wonder that the
Nationalist leader was sure to be found at the head of the small group
of PACIFISTS, at almost any cost, mustered amongst the French
Canadians. A sower of prejudices, he was bound to watch with eagerness
the growing crop of ill-feelings he was fostering.
Those of us who oppose all, and any, participation by the Dominion in
the wars of the Empire, be they even so just, so honourable, so
necessary, under Mr. Bourassa's deplorable leadership, were naturally
supporters of any kind of "PACIFISM."
I will not classify the Nationalist leader and his dupes as
"_defeatists_," who were ready to accept peace as the consequence of
defeat. The real "_pacifists_," so far as it is possible to ascertain
their views, unable, consciously or not, to see any difference in the
respective responsibilities of the belligerents in opening the war,
consider that they are equally guilty in not closing it.
Most happily, such a disordered opinion is shared only by a small
minority. It can be positively affirmed that public opinion, the world
over, outside the Central Empires and their swayed allies, is almost
unanimous that Germany, through her military party and the junkers
element, is responsible for the dire calamity she has brought on
Humanity. The question of the restoration of "PEACE" must be viewed from
this starting point--the only true one.
The standpoints of the TRUE and the FALSE friends of PEACE being so far
apart, the conclusions they draw are naturally widely different.