Then, afterward, he can claim he was scrappin' because he had to defend his father and mother, and of course he'll more than half believe it himself.
"Well, you take a Government--it's only just some _men_, the way I see it, and if they're goin' to start some big trouble like this war, why, of course they'll play just about the same ole boy trick, because it's instinct to do it, just the same for a man as it is for a boy--or else the principle's just the same, or something.

Well, anyhow, if you want to know who started a scrap and worked it up, you got to forget all the _talk_ there is about it, and all what each side _says_, and just look at two things: Who was fixed for it first, or thought they were, and who hit first?
When you get the answer to those two questions everything's settled about all this being 'attacked' business.

Both sides, just the same as boys, they'll both claim they _had_ to fight; but if you want to know which one _did_ have to, why forget all the arguing and don't take your eye off just what _happened_.

As near as I can make out, this war began with Germany and Austria startin' in to wipe out two little countries; Austria began shootin' up Serbia, and Germany began shootin' up Belgium.

I don't need to notice any more than that, myself--all the Werder girls in the country can debate their heads off, they can't change what happened and they can't excuse it, either." He was silent, appearing to feel that he had concluded conclusively, and the young gentleman on the window seat, after staring at him for several moments of genuine thoughtfulness, was gracious enough to observe, "Well, ole Ram, you may be a little slow in class, but when you think things out with yourself you do show signs of something pretty near like real horse-sense sometimes.