War; What For?

Pacific Press Publishing Association · Mountain View, California · Aug 1, 1911

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 38, No. 30.

"War; What For?" By George R. Kirkpatrick. 350 pages, 8 vo. Illustrated. $1.20. Discounts in larger quantities. Published by the author, West Lafayette, Ohio.

The book is dedicated "To the victims of the Civil War in industry; that is, to my brothers and sisters of the working class, the class who furnish the blood, and tears, and cripples, and corpses in all wars, yet win no victories for their own class." It is a tremendously striking book. The very style of it is awakening. It deals in apothegms; it explodes, bursts, coruscates, strikes; it never minces matters. The chapter on "What Is War?" is fearfully true. After one reads it he is prepared to acquiesce to the fullest extent in Sherman's definition. And he reckons under the cost of war more than dollars or pounds — the ruined morals, the blood that is shed, the orphans and widows that are made. He gives the cost in cash; he tries to give the cost otherwise. Chapter five is entitled "Hell," in which is described the fearful, deadly work of modern murdering machinery. Other chapters are, "For Father and the Boys," "For Mother and the Boys and Girls," "The Cross, the Cannon, and the Cash Register," "Now What Shall We Do About It?" "The Situation and the Explanation." There are some crude but striking illustrations. "Four Victims of Cheap Patriotism," for instance, represents the grave of the father, the mother weeping, two children who are orphans playing with tin soldiers. Another represents the figure of Christ looking upon a large field in which are shells of modern guns, the title of which is, "In My Name After 1900 Years." The book is written in the interest of peace. It is an appeal to the working class to cease warfare, join together, stand for that which is noble and true. One may not be charmed with Mr. Kirkpatrick's style, he may not be in love with the way he has presented his arguments, his methods may not always be consistent, but his facts are tremendous, and those facts ought to appeal to the reader. Here, for instance, is at random from page 73: "One year's cost of militarism in these twenty-one countries (eight billion dollars) would keep thirty-two million students in college for one year, allowing $250 each. The cost of militarism in these twenty-one countries for less than nine hours and a half would pay all the expenses of 4,500 students in Harvard University for four years, allowing each student $500 per year. Six per cent interest on this eight billion dollars for one year would provide a four-year college education for 480,000 young men and women, allowing each student $250 per year. Eight billion dollars annually in time of peace!"