Page:Political and legal remedies for war.djvu/35

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INFLUENCE OF LITERATURE.
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and for all the most attractive and ennobling features of civilized humanity to fail to be recognized.

This influence of the Daily Press in laying bare the truth Knowledge of War derived from literature. about War is, of course, supported by more permanent literature, of which in this aspect the fictions of M.M. Erckmann-Chatrian are remarkable specimens. The true life of the soldier in times of Peace and of War, and his experiences and conduct before, during, and after battle, are growing to be just as essential a part of the conception of warfare as the flag, the uniform, and the roar of artillery. Here, then, again, as with the other signs of a new era previously adverted to, it is quite impossible to predict how far this improved knowledge may operate in breeding a wholly novel aversion to War. Nor is it saying too much to allege that those who have labored so much to make the occupation of War seem attractive and glorious have been truly wise in their generation; because, if once the popular imagination, aided by common language, took a new turn, and regarded the occupation of a soldier as one so morally difficult as to be unfit for any men but the very best, and, even in their case, to be so surrounded with special temptations of the worst sort as to afford occasion for unremitting anxiety and watchfulness, large standing armies would become an impossibility, and the area of War would soon be reduced to insignificance.

(3.) A further ground for resisting the presumption that Spread of liberalism in Europe. War must ever, hereafter as heretofore, be looked upon as a permanent necessity, is discoverable in the constitutional changes, resting upon what are called liberal political principles, which have been operating to so large an extent of late years in nearly every European State. These changes have manifested themselves under a variety of forms, but there are certain general features in them which are conspicuous everywhere. Such are, for instance, the responsi-