Armageddon (November 1939)

We enter a darkened world possessed by nightmares. Civilised conduct, even as we watch, is being tortured beyond recognition. Such repulsive caricature and world-wide brutalizing of civilization would have been unthinkable a short while ago. Values in civilizations have undergone secret transformation: they are mainly identifiable with skill in material manufacture. Sitting in warehouses stocked with machines breeding goods, Greed has become ever more lustful. Nations, vulturelike, hover shamelessly. Sanguinary greed hides behind pulpits and classrooms; streams of religious sermon and science pour from specialized intellects without washing it clean. Civilisation’s base is being sapped; in the dark underhalls of empires live acquisitive passions; pillars of triumph slowly rot threatening in their down-fall the fabric of same humanity. Where is redress? I wished I knew. Towards abyss slide hoarded empires once formed by feeding, in undisturbed security, on the two weak continents – Asia and Africa. The devourers could not think that their own have-not cousins would one day rise up and threaten their spoils. Whirlwind of killing goes on, weapons follow weapons in unending mathematics, where can this stop? Mutual manslaughter proceeds on premises strewn with leavings of ill-gotten food; yesterday’s carousers talk peace today in the hour of disaster, but even then they will not clean their courtyard.