The God of War

From The Birmingham Age Herald, July 8, 1913.
 By Israel Zangwill.
 

 “To safeguard peace we must prepare for war”—
 I know that maxim; it was forged in hell.
 This wealth of ships and guns inflames the vulgar
 And makes the very war it guards against.
 The God of War is now a man of business,
 With vested interests.
 So much sunk capital, such countless callings:
 The Army, Navy, Medicine, the Church—
 To bless and bury—Music, Engineering,
 Redtape Departments, Commisariats,
 Stores, Transports, Ammunition, Coaling Stations,
 Fortifications, Cannon Foundries, Shipyards,
 Arsenals, Ranges, Drill Halls, Floating Docks,
 War Loan Promoters, Military Tailors,
 Camp Followers, Canteens, War Correspondents,
 Horse Breeders, Armorers, Torpedo Builders,
 Pipeclay and Medal Vendors, Big Drum Makers,
 Gold Lace Embroiderers, Opticians, Buglers,
 Tentmakers, Banner Weavers, Powder Mixers,
 Crutches and Cork Limb Manufacturers,
 Balloonists, Mappists, Heliographers,
 Inventors, Flying Men and Diving Demons,
 Beelzebub and all his hosts, who whether
 In Water, Earth or Air, among them pocket
 When Trade is brisk a million pounds a week!