The Psychology of the War

The Psychology of the War BY DR. JOSEPH M. TANNER

For the past twenty years the war in progress has been more or less in the mental frame-up of the various nations now engaged in it. Each of the nations has not only calculated its own superi- ority at arms, but has also figured out the weaknesses of its prob- able antagonists. What these nations have thought and expressed of themselves and one another has given to the world a mental picture of the events which would take place on the field of battle. It is interesting, in view of what is taking place, to recall what we may term the psychology of the war. The nation which has drawn the most complete mental pic- ture of what would take place is beyond all question Germany. The Germans as a consequence built up the most wonderful fight- ing organization the world has ever known. Their wars with Denmark, in 1864, with Austria, in. 1866, and with France, in 1870, made Germany the most feared of all military countries of Europe. They also created a national self-confidence that gave rise to the glorification of war in the minds of the people of that vast empire. The acquisition of large and valuable territory, the confederation of the Teutonic race, and the indemnity of $1,000,- 000,000 from France, made the German people quite generally believe that to them, in the future, war would mean vast benefits in commerce, in territory and in dominance as a European power. They never admitted the possibility of defeat indeed, they never ;

dreamed that such a contingency was possible. They were as con- fident of their future military exploits as the other nations were fearful. True, they did not anticipate such an array of opponents, nor did the statesmen of Europe generally believe that such a com- bination against Germany was possible. The diplomatic contests of the past twenty years have shown this self-confidence on the one side, and the fear of German arms on the other. It has taken five years of a threatened outbreak to brace up the leading nations, now opposed to the dual alliance, to muster courage enough to accept the challenge of the Germans when they pressed into the foreground of diplomatic contention the threat of war. The result has been the cautious diplomatic preparation of the Allies on the one hand, and the reckless diplomacy of the Germans on the other. Bismarck's shrewd isolation of all other nations when he under- took war with any one of them has been grossly neglected in Germany's preparation for war. The counsels of that old pilot of

state who was so ruthlessly dropped have not only- been disre- garded, but have been directly opposed. With the emperor, strat- egy has been everything, diplomacy, nothing. France was fearful, but she was at the same time revengeful. Every approach to national friendship offered by the Germans she rejected. She nurtured social and political antagonisms. They in turn aroused in Germany a determination further to humiliate France. The French knew their comparative helplessness, and sought alliances that aggravated the Germans. The English saw in the naval program of Germany a danger to her supremacy upon the seas. She asked Germany to take a naval holiday for a year or two that the burdens of the people of the two countries might be lessened. The answer was more Ger- man dreadnaughts. The English believed themselves impregnable upon the seas, and they were as over-confident in their naval su- premacy as the Germans were in their supremacy on land. Russia was fearful. The unexpected had happened in her war with Japan. That war had made the Russians more or less a negligible quantity in the German mind. Italy was a part of the Triple Alliance. She might fight for Germany and Austria, under certain circumstances; but she did not anticipate a war with England, against which she could hardly be induced to fight. Germans have been heard to say that the English soldier was no good, that one German soldier was good for from three to a half dozen Englishmen. When war broke out, the German agent, whose mission it was to keep England out of the war. confidently informed Sir Edward Grey that the assistance of the English on land would be of no consequence to France. On the other hand, Lord Churchill proposed to go over to the German coast and dig the German navy out like rats. Again, consider the mental attitude of the European nations in the "matter of the fortifications of the Dardanelles. Writers generally, for the past two decades, have regarded that water-way as impassable. Certain forts, particularly those of Antwerp, were considered impregnable. Such were quite generally the mental conceptions of the world when the present war broke out. The best informed men surprises. have been compelled to admit their disappointment or calculations This war has taught us the dangers of any mental for God s that do not make ample allowances for the unforeseen, rights as an arbiter in the destinies of nations. " Tommy Atkins is a real fighter of the first order the German ;

even submarine has astounded the world, and Russia has surprised It looks as if the passage of the Darda- military experts. Thirty years ago 1 nelles might now at this writing be forced. merchant vessels point out to me, as 1 trav- had the captains of

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ersed that waterway on different occasions, the impregnable forts which lined it, and I heard the absolute assurance of English, French and Russians, that its passage by war vessels was not even thinkable. What a strange contradiction of opinions and facts Heretofore war has been an affair of two or three nations at most, at one time. There was an alliance to crush Napoleon but ;

today we must admit our surprise at the spectacle of all Europe at arms, or what promises to be the most universal war any con- tinent or even all the world has ever witnessed. The end is not yet. All Europe is frenzied by the spirit of destruction. In the presence of such devastation and loss of human life, what an im- potent thing is even the imagination Perhaps it is best to conclude that more and greater surprises await us that God is a reality in the history and destiny of this ;

world and that our calculations which do not make conservative ;

allowances for his interventions are never safe.

Memorial Day Today we scatter the blossoms Wet with our sorrowing tears, O'er the mounds where lie the ashes Of heroes of bygone years. We mark with the nation's emblem Each valiant soldier's grave Who answered the call with his life-blood His war-racked country gave. Today we scatter the blossoms, With service of sonsr and prayer, And glimpses of war-time horrors That veterans with whitening hair Recall from a past unforgotten: Pray God that this glorious land Such terrible toll from her people May never again demand. Today we scatter the blossoms With a prayer for the lands afar, That are numbed with the awful anguish Of the world's most appalling war. For the unburied dead and the dying 'Mid the terrible scenes that are, We would plant the Savior's emblems— The Lily, the Cross and the Star. And while we scatte'r the blossoms For the dead with a lavish hand, Let us remember the living Who battle for peace in the land. With blossoms of praise encourage The loyal and faithful ones, Who would for the good of the nation Spare the blood of her sons. EUGENE, OREGON Mrs L . _ R Roylance

A Hand on My Shoulder Not for one hasty word spoken, Did my heart lay crushed and broken, Now newly torn and bleeding. Months of coldness and censure I had met with, lone and pleading,

Until my heart was sore and bruised. Courage, hope, and faith were gone, Still love had kept my heart strong.

Labor had multiplied, burdens had grown, Constant toil, self-denial for love unreturned, Had smitten my strength; my life it had burned, Until I was done, my grip I had lost. I felt my feet slipping, fast slipping down; I knew I was losing my place, my hold On the pathway of duty, a pathway of gold. Surging below me, awaiting my fall, The River of Despair for my ruin did call. Out in the night away from the eyes of men, My soul cried to God, to save me from those I loved Who loved me not. I heard a sound, light as a babe's footstep, Felt a shadowy presence, an angel-like peace; A hand was laid on my shoulder, An arm slipped around my neck, A voice, that I knew in the troubles of boyhood, Spoke to me, now, words of healing, then: "My boy, I am proud, so glad of your strength, Your patience to suffer in silence; like Jesus To love and be true. I never knew you till now.

My suffering, my sorrow, my pain, are rewarded, In you I have joy."A light pressure of the arm About my shoulders, a warm kiss on the forehead. And Mother was gone. Gone from my side. God had answered my prayer, My strength had come back, my heart was renewed. Years have passed by, my mother has gone to her rest; Rut never has hope, or strength, or heart failed me. My joy has been full to this day, since my mother, So small, so weak, so timid, so mighty, Lay her hand on my shoulder that night. K WSVILLE, UTAH E. VOL