Theosophy in
Theosophical Society,
Theosophy and the Great War
By
Annie Besant
First Published
YESTERDAY'S telegrams announce the spreading of the European
conflagration by the entry of Germany into the war arena. That entry has been
signalised by a line of action which, if the telegrams speak truly, is in
contravention with the recognised rules of combat. It is true that we are far
removed from the chivalrous days of battle, when we had the probably mythic
story of Fontenoy, with the English and French regiments facing each other, and
the courteous greeting: "Gentlemen of the Guard, fire first". But at
least we might expect that neutral territory would not be violated in order to
strike at a part of the French frontier guarded by treaty, because bordering on
the neutralised State, and that French territory would not be invaded before
the German Ambassador had left
If this be so, then has "The Day" arrived to which the
German officers have long been drinking,
and Great Britain and Germany have clinched in the deadly wrestling match
for Empire. The double attack on France
and England would be consistent with the splendid military organisation over which the War-Lord
of Germany presides, and it is but natural that Germany should seek to prevent
the despatch of an army corps from England to help in the defence of France by
engaging all her attention at home in the prevention of invasion.
The best service that we can all do is to remain calm and
confident, ready to help where help is needed, steadfast in our loyalty to the
Empire, suspending our local quarrels in face of the crisis on the issue of
which depends the immediate future.
Theosophical Society,