Shall We Commit Suicide?
London: International Churchill Societies, 1994. Second Edition. Pamphlet. This important Churchill essay was originally published in pamphlet form in 1924. Here is the 1994 edition published by the International Churchill Societies - still uncommon and desirable, but fortunately neither as scarce nor as expensive as the original 1924 edition.
Churchill's notable observations contain a prescient and grim discussion of the potential horrors of future warfare and advocacy for the League of Nations for international standards of "sanity and hope". Among the issues discussed by Churchill is the prospect of biological warfare: "A study of Disease - of Pestilences methodically prepared and deliberately launched upon man and beast - is certainly being pursued in the laboratories of more than one great country. Blight to destroy crops, Anthrax to slay horses and cattle, Plague to poison not armies but whole districts - such are the lines along which military science is remorselessly advancing." The original 1924 pamphlet was introduced with an exhortation on the front cover by Charles W. Eliot, Harvard University's longest serving president and a noted supporter of progressive movement causes: "This Statement of the English Winston Churchill, in view of the actual and prospective destructive agencies available in war, should be placed forthwith in every American household."
This second edition of 1994 also features an introduction by this edition's Editor, Richard M. Langworth, who was then serving as President of The Churchill Centre in Washington, D.C. Similar to the original 1924 pamphlet publication, this publication measures roughly 8 x 3.75 inches (20.3 x 9.5 cm). The contents are duplicated photographically from an original, so it is a true facsimile. The final three pages of this edition contain a bibliographic note on the edition, as well as information about the International Churchill Societies. Condition is near fine, bright, clean, without wear and retaining firm, uncorroded binding staples, with just a hint of creasing to the cover corners.
Reference: Cohen A74.3, Woods A33. Item #006422
Price: $75.00