barbarians could not have
destroyed so many lives; nor could barbarian states have raised such
huge armies. The artist makes us feel that such a war as this is an act
of moral madness, a disgrace to our common humanity. It is true that
some of the nations engaged are guiltless, and others almost guiltless;
but there is a solidarity of European civilization which obliges us all
to share the shame and sorrow of this monstrous crime. Universal war is
the _reductio ad absurdum_ of false political theories and false moral
ideals; and the _reductio ad absurdum_ is the chief argument which
Providence uses with mankind. Perhaps it is the only argument which
mankind in the mass can understand.

THE DEAN OF ST. PAUL'S.

[Illustration: "TO YOUR HEALTH, CIVILIZATION!"]

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FOX TIRPITZ PREACHING TO THE GEESE

There is nothing more pathetic in some ways to-day than the position of
the small neutral countries in Europe, and especially those which
directly adjoin Germany. And there is nothing more galling than the
inability of the Allies to give them any help. For the hour they are
absolutely at the mercy of Germany, or would be, if she had any, and
they know it. They are certainly liable and exposed to all her flouts
and cuffs and to any displays of bad temper or bullying or terrorism it
may please her to exercise. And none perhaps is worse off in this
respect than Holland. It suits Germany to be fairly civil to
Switzerland, who could give her a good deal of trouble by joining France
and Italy; and no doubt it suits her too to some extent to consider
Denmark, for Denmark commands the entrance to the Baltic; and, further,
Germany does not wish to bring all Scandinavia down upon herself just at
present. That can wait; but Holland is in the worst plight of all. She
has the terrible spectacle of Belgium, ruined and ravaged, just on the
other side of the way. And she has a very considerable and valuable
mercantile marine.

The great and good Germany cannot be troubled to distinguish between
Dutch and other boats, and if occasionally a Dutch ship is captured or
sent to the bottom, it is a useful reminder of what she might do to her
"poor relation" if she really let herself go. Fighting for the freedom
of the seas! Holland has fought for them herself. Holland has a great
naval tradition. She knows quite well what Engla