Jan. 25, 1915.
*** Under the awful tide of war -- madness and hate, there is a steady backward undertone of the manhood and womanhood of the nation to -- shall I call it the eternal Christianity -- on which as on a rock our International Socialist faith is based.
Yesterday afternoon at the King's Hall in Bolten I had an audience of 2500 -- Members of the I.L.P. on the Motherhood Committee had won the invitation for me, and with dear old John Woolman's help Isaiah's most glorious promise rose clear before our eyes. As I told them, there is no need for us to beseech God. The God who is love is beseeching us all the time. The Germans are just proud, tender hearted, hot tempered, up-climbing and bewildered men and women like ourselves. The illusions of war will roll away, -- did roll away in that [wondrous] Christmas truce and do after every battlefield as the wounded try to succor each other. The very agony and fear is a witness to the Love Law of Life.
It is war at any Price now -- it is Peace at any Price we must strive for -- (indeed victory for either side is the real fear! Stale Mate all round the hope.) for with Peace Love reasserts itself and all the forces striving for freedom are liberated. Militarism, the Faith in brute force, is the enemy. "The Gain of Oppression" -- that blinds the eyes of our rulers, aye, and of the skilled workmen content to ride on the back of his...(you should have heard the Bolten spinners and "pieces" strange cry of recognition as I brought that home to them) -- makes them think war is inevitable -- All who are willing to work and love each other see clear the land that to Isaiah was "very far off." But my dear, dear friend, there is a trembling in my veins and a beat of my heart -- that tells me it is coming near at last. Oh, you should have heard these people's [page 2] echoing shouts for a "United States of Europe" -- under, over the roar of the cannon.
All honest capitalist organizers of industry, as opposed to mere financiers, -- (the wholly dangerous class) are growing angry at the sheer stupidity of the war -- If we can get the German Socialists openly to declare against the annexation of Belgium, a real sunray of hope may light up the road. Our own protest against the taking of German colonies, etc., is recognized on the Continent. The National Union of Democratic Control is doing wonderful work in the Liberal Party -- you should see the lift in J. P. McDonald's head, the light in his eyes, the resolute almost youthful bearing that has come to him with the vision of world work to do. It is nothing less. The Union of Democratic Control, the Christians coming out of all churches to the Quakers as a rallying ground, to re-establishing the essentials of their faith, and our dear I.L.P. and the Women's Labor League, from a veritable host of Friends of Humanity***
Katherine Bruce Glasier.
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