But I still stubbornly and meekly submit my point: that you cannot
end war without asking who began it. If you think somebody else, not
Germany, began it, then blame that somebody else: do not blame everybody
and nobody. Perhaps you think that a small sovereign people, fresh from
two triumphant wars, ought to discrown itself before sunrise; because
the nephew of a neighbouring Emperor has been shot by his own subjects.
Very well. Then blame Servia; and, to the extent of your influence, you
may be preventing small kingdoms being obstinate or even princes being
shot. Perhaps you think the whole thing was a huge conspiracy of Russia,
with France as a dupe and Servia as a pretext. Very well. Then blame
Russia; and, to the extent of your influence, you may be preventing
great Empires from making racial excuses for a raid. Perhaps you think
France wrong for feeling what you call “revenge,” and I should
call recovery of stolen goods. Perhaps you blame Belgium for being
sentimental about her frontier; or England for being sentimental about
her word. If so, blame them; or whichever of them you think is to blame.
Or again, it is barely possible that you may think, as I do, that the
whole loathsome load has been laid upon us by the monarchy which I have
not named; still less wasted time in abusing. But if there be in Europe
a military State which has not the religion of Russia, yet has helped
Russia to tyrannise over the Poles, that State cares not for religion,
but for tyranny. If there be a State in Europe which has not the
religion of the Austrians, but has helped Austria to bully the Servians,
that State cares not for belief, but for bullying. If there be in
Europe any people or principality which respects neither republics nor
religions, to which the political ideal of Paris is as much a myth as
the mystical ideal of Moscow, then blame that: and do more than blame.
In the healthy and highly theological words of Robert Blatchford, drive
it back to the Hell from which it came.