lace as the servant rather than the
master of a nation. But apart from Germany, look at the effects which
our victory must have over the whole wide world. Everywhere it will mean
the triumph of reasoned democracy, of public debate, of ordered freedom
in which every man is an active unit in the system of his own
Government, while our defeat would stand for a victory to a priviliged
class, the thrusting down of the civilian by the arrogance and
intolerance of militarism, and the subjection of all that is human and
progressive to all that is cruel, narrow, and reactionary. This is the
stake for which we play, and the world will lose or gain as well as we.
You may well come, you democratic oversea men of our blood, to rally
round us now, for all that you cherish, all that is bred in your very
bones, is that for which we fight. And you, lovers of freedom in every
land, we claim at least your prayers and your wishes, for if our sword
be broken you will be the poorer. But fear not, for our sword will not
be broken, nor shall it ever drop from our hands until this matter is
forever set in order. If every ally we have upon earth were to go down
in blood and ruin, still would we fight through to the appointed end.
Defeat shall not daunt us. Inconclusive victory shall not turn us from
our purpose. The grind of poverty and the weariness of hopes deferred
shall not blunt the edge of our resolve. With God's help we shall go to
the end, and when that goal is reached it is our prayer that a new era
shall come as our reward, an era in which, by common action of State
with State, mutual hatreds and strivings shall be appeased, land shall
no longer be estranged from land, and huge armies and fleets will be
nightmares of the past. Thus, as ever, the throes of evil may give birth
to good. Till then our task stands clear before us--a task that will ask
for all we have in strength and resolution. Have you who read this
played your part to the highest? If not, do it now, or stand forever
shamed.

*Conan Doyle on British Militarism*

Early last year, in the course of some comments which I made upon the
slighting remarks about our army by Gen. von Bernhardi, I observed: "It
may be noted that Gen. von Bernhardi has a poor opinion of our troops.
This need not trouble us. We are what we are, and words will not alter
it. From very early days our soldiers have left their mark upon
Continental warfare, and we have no reason to think that we h