The Governments of these states do not want war.
"War deals in human life as recklessly as the gambler in money.
"Imagine the point of view of a commanding general who is confronted with the task of taking a fortress; 'That position will cost me five thousand lives; it will be cheap at the price, for it must be taken.' "He discounts five thousand human lives as easily as the manufacturer marks off five thousand dollars for depreciation.

And so five thousand homes are saddened that another flag may fly over a few feet of fortified masonry.

What a grim joke for Europe to play upon humanity." There were not wanting those to point out to Mr.Ridder that the sacrifice of life could have been avoided had Germany and its tool Austria, played fair with Serbia and the balance of Europe.

Also, his statement that the government of Germany did not want the war has been successfully challenged from a hundred different sources.
H.G.Wells, the eminent English author, contributed a prophecy which translated very plainly the handwriting on the wall.

He said: "This war is not going to end in diplomacy; it is going to end diplomacy.
"It is quite a different sort of war from any that have gone before.
At the end there will be no conference of Europe on the old lines, but a conference of the world.