Page:Tolstoy - Christianity and Patriotism.djvu/86

 the peoples. How do they set about preserving the peace?

Men were living on the banks of the Rhine peaceably associating together—and all at once, in consequence of quarrels and intrigues between Kings and Emperors, war is begun, and it seems fitting to the Government of France to declare that some of these people are Frenchmen. Long years pass; people have grown used to the position: again a feud begins between the Governments of the great nations, and on the most trivial excuse war is declared, and it seems fitting to the Germans to claim these same men again as Germans, and in all Frenchmen and Germans ill-will against each other is kindled.

All Germans are living peaceably with Russians on their frontier, peaceably exchanging services and the products of their labour, and all at once the very institutions which exist ostensibly for maintaining peace among the nations, begin quarrelling, doing one silly thing after another, and can think of nothing better than, like little children, punishing themselves if they can only get their own way and mortify their opponents (which in this case suits them very well, as those who get up a tariff war are not those who individually suffer from it). The tariff war waged not long ago between Russia and Germany is an example in point. And with the help of the