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Anti-war essays, poems, short stories and literary excerpts
American writers on peace and against war
Nathanael West: One live recruit is better than a dozen dead veterans
Nathanael West: They haven’t the proper military slant
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Nathanael West
From Good Hunting (1938)
GERALD
(To JARVIS)
This is exciting – my first experience under fire!
JARVIS
We’re going splendidly!
FIZTSIMMONS
(Snapping)
We always get this far!
GERALD
It gives you a queer sensation not to hear the firing…
FITZSIMMONS
Cup your hand over your ear…
(GERALD does so)
That humming noise…like a swarm of bees.
GERALD
(Excited)
Yes…I hear it!
FITZSIMMONS
That’s the war.
***
FITZSIMMONS
Sounds like a German…a Taub bomber…
GRACE
(Not frightened)
Oh, will he drop something on us?
HARGREAVES
No – certainly not – we have an unwritten agreement with the enemy – we don’t bomb each other’s staffs.
…
(Suddenly there is a tremendous explosion – a part of the ceiling falls with a crash)
HARGREAVES
(Great indignation)
The barbarians!
AD LIB FROM THE OFFICERS
The dirty Boches!
Scoundrels!
Bombing staff headquarters!
Unheard of!
What treachery!
The blackguards!
(FITZSIMMONS rushes to door and shouts outside as others mill around)
AD LIB
The dirty dogs!
Ill-mannered louts!
What’s the war coming to!
HRAGREAVES
Are they mad – bombing the staff!
(FITZSIMMONS appears at the door again)
FITZSIMMONS
It’s not their fault!
HARGREAVES
What!
FITZSIMMONS
We forgot to take the red cross off the roof! They thought the place was still a hospital.
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