Above the Battle
longing to the warring nations have advocated the justice of their country's cause in manifestoes and pamphlets, which they have scattered in great numbers throughout the neutral states.[1] And this still goes on; side by side with the war of the sword a no less vehement war is carried on with the pen.
Those writings have also reached us, the undersigned, all subjects of a neutral state. We have read them with the greatest interest, as they enable us to form a clear opinion not only of the frame of mind brought about by the outbreak of the war among the intellectuals of the warring nations, but also of the opinions they hold about the causes and the nature of the present war.
It has not surprised us neutrals to see that the spokesmen of the opposing nations are equally convinced of the justice of their cause. Neither has it surprised us that those spokesmen evince such a strong inclination to advocate their rights before the neutral states. Indeed, in such a terrible struggle it is a psychologic necessity for all the nations concerned that
- ↑ The famous "Appeal to the Civilised Nations" had been sent out shortly before this by the ninety-three German intellectuals.
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