PATRIOTISM AND GOVERNMENT 249
and China, and being specially engaged in suffocating Finland — it proposed disarmament to the Governments^ in full assurance that it would be trusted !
But strange, unexpected, and indecent as such a pro- posal was— especially at the very time when orders were being given to increase its army — the words publicly uttered in the hearing of the people were such, that for the sake of appearances the Governments of the other Powers could not decline the comical and evidently insincere consultation ; and so the delegates met — know- ing in advance that nothing would come of it — and for several weeks (during which they drew good salaries) though they were laughing in their sleeves, they all conscientiously pretended to be much occupied in arranging peace among the nations.
The Hague Conference, followed up as it was by the terrible bloodshed of the Transvaal W^ar, which no one attempted, or is now attempting, to stop, was, never- theless, of some use, though not at all in the way expected of it — it was useful because it showed in the most obvious manner that the evils from which the peoples are suffering cannot be cured by Governments. That Governments, even if they wished to, can ter- minate neither armaments nor wars.
Governments, to have a reason for existing, must defend their people from other people^s attack. But not one people wishes to attack, or does attack, anotlier. And therefore Governments, far from wishing for peace, carefully excite the anger of other nations against them- selves. And having excited other people^s anger against themselves, and stirred up the patriotism of their own people, each Government then assures its people that it is in danger and must be defended.
And having the power in their hands, the Govern- ments can both irritate other nations and excite patriotism at home, and they carefully do both the one and the other ; nor can they act otherwise, for their existence depends on thus acting.
If, in former times. Governments were necessary to defend their people from other people's attacks, now.
