Page:Tolstoy - Christianity and Patriotism.djvu/85

 Christian peoples. It is impossible even to imagine how and why Russian and German workmen working peaceably together on their frontiers and in their cities should begin quarrelling among themselves, and it is even less possible to conceive of hostility between a peasant of Kazan who sends corn to a German and the German who sends him scythes and machinery. It is the same with French, German, and Italian workmen. As for quarrelling between men of science, artists, and writers of different nationalities, whose only interests are common to them all and independent of nationality and politics, it is absurd to speak of it.

But the Governments cannot leave the peoples in peace—that is, in peaceful relations with each other; for the making of peace between nations, the settling of their hostile relations, is, if not the sole, at least the chief justification of the existence of Governments. And so the Governments provoke hostile relations under a show of patriotism, and then make a show of maintaining peace between the nations. It is like the gipsy who, after sprinkling pepper under his horse's tail and lashing him in the stalls, leads him out, hanging on the bridle and pretending that he can hardly hold in the fiery steed.

We are assured that the Governments are anxious for the preservation of peace between