70 THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY 



(because to fulfill her obligation of the " Trif)le Alliance" was too 

 dangerous), to-morrow perhaps openly antagonistic to Germany (be- 

 cause satisfied that thus only can she share in the spoil), those sections 

 of country known as Italy Unredeemed may become hers. 



The Austro-Hungarian empire will suffer nationally even more than 

 the states constituting the empire of Germany; but probably to the de- 

 cided betterment of the several races. It is of course not impossible 

 that partition of the monarchy may be averted by a separate peace, 

 though Austria can hardly expect to retain intact her heterogeneous 

 segments. The Balkan peninsula will again be remapped, and (pro- 

 vision being made for canalization of the Bosphorus and Dardanelles) 

 Moslem rule at and near Constantinople will be replaced by a "zone" 

 that self interest will respect, power cause to be respected, and a new 

 and more equitable "balance" established in measurably stable equi- 

 librium. 



At the present time (mid-December, 1914) while the contending 

 forces are locked in a life or death grapple on the west, and are swaying 

 to and fro, now one having advantage, then another on the east, there are 

 many good people, well-meaning people, appalled at the losses of life 

 and waste of substance, who would seek to end the hideous horror by 

 urging immediate pacification. 



But to end the war now, even if it were possible, would be most 

 deplorable. Doubtless to seem to advocate a continuance of bloodshed 

 and destruction must to these people — " peace-at-any-price " people — 

 appear wantonly cruel. Scanning the course of human progress, it is 

 clearly to discern from remotest epochs incidents (lights shining in the 

 darkness uncomprehended by the darkness) tending to ameliorate the 

 imhappy conditions of the masses of men. It is not this generation 

 .-alone, its sentiments and ideals, but all coming generations whose wel- 

 ifare and happiness it should be for men of to-day — actors and thinkers 

 alike — to toil for and to plan for. 



There is a current phrase, prated of for the most part ignorantly — 

 "getting back to nature." Eightly understood the idea is admirable. 

 But in final analysis, nature is indifferent, implacable, impartial, and so 

 cruel. Nature cares nothing for individual lives, everything for life; 

 nothing for men, all for man; nothing for artificial nations, all for 

 races and for peoples. 



Action and thought should emulate nature. In the terrific emerg- 

 ency now thrust upon the world, nothing should restrain us — no con- 

 sideration of expediency, or even of temporary humanity — from holding 

 fast and upholding firmly the ways and means that tend to the destruc- 

 tion of destruction, to establishing new and sure and safe guarantees. 

 Fortifications of stone were found to be of no avail against the bombard- 

 ment of the Columbiads and the Armstrongs and the Wliitworths ; re- 



