APPENDIX 175 



KROPOTKIN GRIEVES HIM 



"I must say that I have been astonished by Prince 

 Kropotkin, who has been many times quoted as say- 

 ing that a defensive war is justifiable. I am very 

 much astonished. He was very close to the ideas 

 of my father, and I am sure my father would not 

 approve any war because his views on war were the 

 result of his understanding of the gospel, of the idea of 

 love and non-resistance. 



"After The Hague Conference he said that it had 

 become evident that so long as there existed govern- 

 ments with troops the abolition of wars and of arma- 

 ments would be impossible. These words sound as 

 though they were very close to all Europe, which now 

 seems to wish the abolition of militarism. 



"I am here to speak now at a time when the ideas of 

 Christ have been forgotten. I find it my duty to 

 remember these ideas and the teachings of my father, 

 which were the ideas of Christ. 



"It is too deep a question to consider now whether 

 the men in the war are in their hearts growing toward 

 or further away from Christianity. But broadly speak- 

 ing, one can only exclaim that men cannot be Christians 

 who are engaged in killing others. How can one hold 

 that men who are engaged in killing are Christians 

 when Christianity itself is the principle of love. The 

 only way to be a Christian would be to refuse to fight. 

 As war is evil I do not believe the war can lead to any 

 good, and I do not look forward to reforms as a result 

 of the war. " 



