THE JUSTIFICATION OF WAR
[To the Editor of TIIE SPECTATOR.]
SIR,—At a time of international tension like the present, when so disquietingly high a percentage even of older people appears to have forgotten entirely the last War and remained imper- vious to all its lessons, one may perhaps be forgiven for a rather acute desire to call the attention of as many of one's fellow-countrymen as possible to certain obvious facts : 1. The only adequate reason for slaughtering, and exposing ourselves to the risk of slaughter by, thousands of other human beings is that these persons arc demonstrably savage vermin who cannot better be dealt with by any other method less costly and less cruel.
2. The experiences of English travellers and residents in Germany (and any other country) do not support the idea that its inhabitants are impossible vermin of the type alluded to.
3. The persons killed in war are not those who are respon- sible for, and declare war : these remain in the positions of the greatest safety ; were it otherwise there would be no wars between civilised countries. Much as we may dislike Hitler and all his works, it is not Hitler whom we shall kill if we resume the war with Germany, but ordinary German citizens whom, as a people, we find much easier to get on with than the French.
4. Since, in the event of a resumption of war with Germany, it will not be Hitler but ordinary German citizens we shall he killing and getting killed by, it might be as well before embark- ing on mutual destruction to see what, if any, causes of exist, not between us and Hitler but between us and them, suad whether it be not possible to remove these grievances by peaceable means. At the moment nothing of any consequence has been done in this direction, nor does it appear to be seriously contemplated ; yet the idea might be worth trying !
5. Modern warfare is the most hideous and destructive evil in which two groups of human beings can become involved. Obviously, therefore, it can only be justifiable and necessary as a means of dealing with those vermin in human form already alluded to who are destitute of all reason, justice and humanity. Where such vermin do not constitute the majority of a nation no desire of a body of statesmen of our own or any other country, and no treaty arrangement entered into by them, can make war right and necessary. Neither can any frontier skirmish between bodies of troops under excited commanders justify war.
6. The proprietors of newspapers active in a recruiting campaign have no intention of occupying positions of danger in the event of an outbreak of hostilities. Were it certain that they would be in the forefront of the hottest battle from the day war was declared to the day it ended, would their military
zeal be quite so great ?—Yours very truly, TAVISTOCK. 62 St. James' Court, S.JV .1.
Previous page
