and we have left nothing but ruin, poverty, and misery wherever we went—we have left the world in ashes…. Now it is for you young men of the world—for youth—glorious, brave and noble-hearted youth—”
“Ah, youth, youth,” the hero would murmur at this point with a sardonic humour that of course went unnoticed by the pompous old fool to whom it was uttered—and the Major would nod his head in agreement and go on—
“Yes, youth—brave, generous and devoted youth—it remains for youth to repair the damage that we old men have done, to bind up the nation’s broken wounds, to see to it that the world be made into a fit place for their children to live in, to see that—”
“Government of the people, by the people and for the people,” the hero would sardonically supply.
“Yes,” the old Major would agree, “—and that the children of the coming generation may not look at you, as you can look at us, and say—’What have you done, old men, with your inheritance? What kind of world are you leaving behind you for us young men to inherit? How can you look us in the eyes, old men, when you know that you have been unworthy of your sacred trust—that the young men of the world have been foully tricked, betrayed, dishonoured by you old men’—”
“Why, Major!” the hero would now cry, in mock astonishment, as he ironically applauded. “—This is eloquence! Hear hear!… And you are right! Major, you are right! The young men of the world have been betrayed and tricked! Not only tricked—but tr-r-ricked!… And by whom?” he would inquire with sardonic rhetoric. “Why, by these false, lying, greedy, hypocritical old men who have had the whole world in their keeping and who have reduced it to a shambles for our inheritance!… Major, who made the war? Who sent us forth to war?… Why, these old, false, lying, greedy men, of course!… And who fought the war?… Why, these brave, gallant, devoted, noble-spirited young men, of course!… And why did you old men send us forth to war, Major?… Why, to further your own rapacity, to protect your own ill-gotten wealth, to conquer, ravage, and invade for your own enrichment…. And how did we go to war, Major? Why, with faith and trust and the purity of a high conviction…. And how did we come back from war? With hell in our eyes…. We young men always go to war with faith and trust and the purity of a high
