_And who are these Kings of the Earth?_
Only men--not always even men of worth,
But claiming rule by right of birth.
_And Wisdom?--does that come by birth?_
Nay then--too often the reverse.
Wise father oft has son perverse,
Solomon's son was Israel's curse.
_Why suffer things to reason so averse?_
It always has been so,
And only now does knowledge grow
To that high point where all men know--
Who would be free must strike the blow.
_And how long will man suffer so?_
Until his soul of Freedom sings,
And, strengthened by his sufferings,
He breaks the worn-out leading-strings,
And calls to stricter reckonings
Those costliest things--unworthy Kings.
Here you have them!--Pilloried for all time!
And what a crew! These pitiful self-seekers and their dupes!
Not the least amazing phenomenon of these most amazing times is the fact
that millions of men should consent to be hurled to certain death, and
to permit the ruin of their countries, to satisfy the insensate
ambitions of rulers, who, when all is said and done, are but men, and in
some cases even of alien birth and personally not specially beloved by
them.
Surely one outcome of this world-war will be the birth of a new
determination in every nation that its own voice and its own will shall
control its own destinies--that no one man or self-appointed clique
shall swing it to ruin for his or their own selfish purposes.
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