can't."

"In heaven's name, why?"

"Admiral," said Bob, and his voice became tremulous, "do you think it
right for a man to undertake anything which his conscience condemns?"

"No, of course not; what has that to do with it?"

"Everything, sir, to me. War is brutal and devilish, opposed to
everything I have been taught to believe."

"Do you mean to say," cried the Admiral, "that you are not convinced of
the righteousness of this war? Why, my lad, the thing is as plain as
the nose on your face. Have you gone through the papers? Have you
read the correspondence between the various ambassadors?"

"Yes, sir."

"Then do you not think that Germany has been planning this war for
years, and that she has checked every movement for peace?"

"That is debatable, isn't it, sir?"

"Debatable? No! You are not such a fool as to believe that this war
is on account of the Servian assassination? That is a mere flimsy
pretext--one of the flimsiest ever known. I have read all about it
to-day. Austria had practically agreed to live at peace with Servia,
to allow Servia to retain her independence. The trouble was, to all
intents and purposes, patched up, and then Germany insisted on an
impossible ultimatum. Austria would never have declared war on Servia
had not Germany given her orders to do so. Here is a letter written by
Sir Maurice de Bunsen, on July 26. He states plainly that Germany
wanted war, that she had schemes in Asia Minor which she wanted to
carry out. She believed that by war with Servia she would be able to
accomplish her purposes. She believed that Russia would keep quiet
during the time Austria worked her will, and as de Bunsen says,
'Germany knew very well what she was about in backing up
Austria-Hungary in this matter.'"

"Yes, sir, that is all very well, but that does not make war right.
Personally, I find it easy to believe that Germany was the aggressor in
this case; I believe, too, that Russia decided to stand by Servia not
for the sake of the Servians, but for her own interests; that does not
justify her in dragging the whole of Europe into war."

"Yes, but are you mad, my boy? The Servian business was only the
beginning of it. Of course, when Russia prepared to protect Servia,
Germany, knowing that the war she had been trying to bring about must
come some time, declared war on Russia. Then, without giving France a
chance, she invaded Luxemburg and French territory; don't you see?"

"I