[Ads-l] Quote Origin: As long as we have slaughterhouses, we will have battlefields (Attributed to Leo Tolstoy)

[ADSGarson O'Toole]

A request was sent to me on Bluesky to explore the provenance of the
remark in the subject line. Leo Tolstoy died in 1910.
I have not found any substantive evidence that Tolstoy used this
expression. The earliest match I found appeared in 1972. See further
below.

Wikiquote has webpage for Leo Tolstoy that includes the following
dubious information:

[Begin excerpt from Wikiquote]
As long as there are slaughterhouses there will always be battlefields.
What I believe, 1885
[End excerpt from Wikiquote]

The Wikiquote text contains the following supporting link to goodreads:
https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/42064-as-long-as-there-are-slaughter-houses-there-will-always/

The webpage at Goodreads says:

[Begin excerpt from Wikiquote]
“As long as there are slaughter houses there will always be battlefields.”
― Leo Tolstoy, What I Believe
[End excerpt from Wikiquote]

Google Books contains a 1902 edition of "What I Believe: My Religion"
by Leo Tolstoy from The Free Age Press. Here is a link:

https://books.google.com/books?id=I0cMAAAAIAAJ&

I searched for "slaughter", "slaughter-house", "slaughterhouse",
"abattoir", "battle", "battlefield", "war", "warfare" (singular and
plural). I found nothing pertinent.

Thus, the information in Wikiquote and Goodreads appears to be inaccurate.
Here are details for the earliest solid citation I uncovered:

[ref] 1972 January 21, The Vancouver Sun, Section: Letters to the
Editor, Letter title: The deer slayers, Letter author: S. Staud of 870
West Eighteenth, Quote Page 5, Column 5, Vancouver, British Columbia,
Canada. (Newspapers_com) [/ref]

https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-vancouver-sun-slaughter/184652512/

[Begin excerpt]
I believe Tolstoy when he said "as long as we have slaughter houses we
will have battlefields; this is the place where man learns to kill."
[End excerpt]

Here are details for the second earliest citation I uncovered:

[ref] Why Vegan: A New Food Book by Kath Clements, Chapter 7: Meat and
War, Quote Page 55, GMP Publishers Ltd., London. (Verified with scans)
[/ref]

[Begin excerpt]
'As long as there are slaughterhouses, there will be battlefields.'
Leo Tolstoy
[End excerpt]

Here are details for another citation:

[ref] 1987 October 14, Evening Post, Section: It's Your Opinion,
Letter title: Vote Tolstoy, Letter from: Colin Bell of Whites Avenue,
Bakersfield, Quote Page 4, Column 2, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire,
England. (Newspapers_com) [/ref]
https://www.newspapers.com/article/evening-post-battlefields/184653813/

[Begin excerpt]
Tolstoy said: "As long as there are slaughterhouses, there will be
battlefields."
[End excerpt]

Currently, there is no Quote Investigator article.
Feedback and interesting material would be welcome
Garson O'Toole
QuoteInvestigator.com

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