Some of the demoralizing influences of war upon a nation are noted in these paragraphs. In the murderous conflict between Shared and Coriantumr, and their followers, the walls of civilization were broken down, and a tidal wave of immorality, notably dishonesty and violent savagery, destroyed all signs of decent culture. We believe that history proves every great war has been followed by just such a wave of crime, degradation, and filth, especially violence, destruction of mutual confidence among neighbors, and therefore of human happiness.
But that is not all. In a great war millions of beings are slaughtered as so many no consequence, loss, however, of which, post-mortem empty orations and useless pyrotechnics are no compensation. According to Professor L. Hersch, a Swiss statistician, 41,435,000 were slain in World War I. These were, generally speaking, the physically and intellectually strong and fit, in their best age. Their prospective careers as leaders in civilization and progress were cut short in the unspeakable mud puddles of modern battlefields. Many survivors, as has been made evident in after years, lost during the years of "military discipline," their personal will power and initiative, to such a degree that they became the blind, deaf and dumb, victims of calculating adventurers.
The cost of a great war in the loss of valuable property, pensions, bonuses, taxes, etc., can never be ascertained except approximately. It has been estimated that the United States, since 1865 until a few years after World War I, has paid no less than $14,500,000,000 in pensions alone. And that is only one item. The total cost is incalculable. But the World War of which we have spoken taught us that whatever it is, both parties are the losers. Both pay the price of blood. National hatreds are revived. Expenditures on account of armaments have been ruining both victors and vanquished, and it has been found that no restitution in cash or trade can be enforced without lessening the chances of prosperity everywhere.
War is nothing but a curse!