336 THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY 



more of the form of an argument or demonstration. If I do not succeed 

 in proving my theorem as to the fundamental cause of war it will not 

 be, in my opinion, because the facts, if properly marshaled, would not 

 prove it, but it will be because I have not made a logical presentation 

 of all the facts. 



Only those who have given special attention to the subject realize 

 either the extent and depth of the present discontent or the rapidity 

 of its growth during the past fifteen or twenty years. Discontent of a 

 virulent type had become practically universal before the present al- 

 most world-wide war began. It was manifested in the Balkan wars, 

 the rebellions in Mexico and Central and South American countries, in 

 the great and vicious strikes, and the political overturns of the last 

 few years in this and in other countries. 



Discontent, distress and disturbances had become well-nigh universal 

 long before civilized Europe became a human slaughter-house. Social- 

 ism, progressivism, I.W.W.ism and other forms of radicalism have been 

 in the air for years. Political and religious authority has been growing 

 lax everywhere. Labor is grumbling and dissatisfied and is becoming 

 less and less effective. Even our railroad officials are, or were, until re- 

 cently, becoming anarchists, threatening to overturn our courts and 

 commissions. They are almost ready for the government to take 

 over their railroads — at fair prices, of course, which they assume are 

 more than present prices. 



I am not one who thinks that wars come by chance or accident. In 

 my opinion there are causes, economic and vital causes, for all wars of 

 consequence. These causes are not often in the foreground and are not 

 usually the ones seen and discussed. 



If opportunities to produce and exchange goods were open and free ; 

 if every producer got all that he should get; if there were no mon- 

 opolists or takers of unearned increments to divide with; if, in short, 

 no one got more and no one less than his Just deserts, there would be 

 no wars. There would then be no need of wars to right, or attempt 

 to right, every 60 or 100 years, the accumulated wrongs of an unjust 

 economic system. 



It is because the economic foundations of most so-called civilized 

 governments of to-day are unsound and rotten that our political struc- 

 tures are breaking down. That is why we have the present great war — 

 a war centered in Europe but reaching to the remotest corners of the 

 earth. It is because there are special privileges and special privilege 

 takers and givers in Europe that millions of her bravest and best men 

 are now killing each other. The share of the "grafters" — the land, 

 tariff, patent and other special privilege grafters — became so large that 

 production could no longer be profitably continued. The producers 

 were in rebellion. They were voting for socialism and for other isms 



