PATRIOTISM AND GOVERNMENT 265
country has no enemies save the Superior Class, that pretends to look out for our interests if we will only obey and consent to be taxed.
' Thus do they siphon our resources and turn our true brothers upon us to subdue and humiliate us. You cannot send a telegram to your wife^ nor an express package to your friend, nor draw a cheque for your grocer, until you first pay the tax to maintain armed men, who can quickly be used to kill you ; and who surely will imprison you if you do not pay.
' The only relief lies in education. Educate men that it is wrong to kill. Teach them the Golden Rule, and yet again teach them the Golden Rule. Silently defy this Superior Class by refusing to bow down to their fetich of bullets. Cease supporting the preachers who cry for war and spout patriotism for a considera- tion. Let them go to work as we do. We believe in Christ — they do not. Christ spoke what he thought ; they speak what they think will please the men iu power — the Superior Class.
' VVe will not enlist. We will not shoot on their order. We will not " charge bayonet " upon a mild and gentle people. We will not fire upon shepherds and farmers, fighting for their firesides, upon a suggestion of Cecil Rhodes. Your false cry of '^ Wolf ! wolf!" ?hall not alarm us. We pay your taxes only because we have to, and we will pay no longer than we have to. We will pay no pew-rents, no tithes to your sham charities, and we will speak our minds upon occasion.
' We will educate men.
- And all the time our silent influence will be going
out, and even the men who are conscripted will be half- hearted and refuse to fight. We will educate men into the thought that the Christ Life of Peace and Good- will is better than the Life of Strife, Bloodshed, and AV^ar.
- "Peace on earth !" — it can only come when men
do away with armies, and are willing to do unto other men as they would be done by.^
So writes a citizen of the United States ; and from
