§ 17

Politicians may dabble in “Leagues” (we all know what they mean, to be broken when conditions appear which seem against their continuity). Statesmen may try to make up for previous mistakes by twisting arguments to suit new methods, but as long as it does not come right home to the people that war and internal dissension spells destruction to Labour as to Capital, in the long run war, within and without, is certain to occur again. And the next war! Every effort made by science, plus the experience of the last five years, will be used to destroy that which it set out to preserve.

The more splendid the services of science the more terrible will, and must be their misapplication. Nothing that has happened in Europe, Russia or the East, however cruel and terrible it has been, will compare with the horrors of the next war. Cities, entire districts, fleets and armies will cease to exist in moments, not even in days. God’s sky will be full of destroying agents against which every defence will be in vain. We are only out of the last great war by the skin of our teeth. Shall we profit by the lessons it has offered or shall we forget? That is the question.