substantial benefits. And as the years that have passed have been associated with a time of unequalled prosperity, still more have they grown accustomed to associate with militancy everything pleasurable and delightful. They compare the days of the sixties and what they then were with what they now are, and the comparison affords them unmixed satisfaction. And they associate it with their unexampled political system. The Prussian sovereigns are in possession of a crown, not by the grace of the people, but by the grace of God"-a doctrine uncompromisingly objected to in its first enunciation, but now willingly accepted as the keystone of their social fabric. The German has the freedom he prizes. He can think and talk and live his home life exactly as he pleases, believing himself to be a great hero in posse, whilst meantime his Kaiser fills a want in his life which we can hardly understand. Full of day-dreams, a German is far more contemplative than ourselves, and the ceaseless vigour and activities of his monarch provide him with the exhilaration and excitement in which he delights.

And just as he can never look upon the past without a justifiable thrill of satisfaction, so is the future full of brighter promise still. Three glorious campaigns in the past, Denmark, Austria, France, see their monarch Kaiser of the German Empire. Three glorious campaigns in the future, France, Russia, England; and the possibilities are enough to make make one giddy. And the actual spoil and loot to be theirs! The fleets, the commerce, the colonies, and the territory, the indemnities, the tribute—and nothing to pay. Ach! A dream of a madman? Nay, a dream to be materialized. And more, theirs is a holy cause. Their philosophers tell them so. Their prophets tell them so. Their Kaiser tells them so. He is the new Moses. They are a chosen people. The promised land is before them. Apostles of culture, advancement, and of progress, their duty is to go in and possess. And what if the key be fire and sword-Is not that God's own way? To apostles of progress only one thing is

immoral-not to progress. And what of those who stand in the way? Progress is irresistible. Yes; to steal, and thieve, and to possess is delightful, but to merit the halo of the saint as well is simply beatific. And so they drink to "the day," the Kaiser drinks to "the day," her soldiers drink to "the day," and her people drink to "the day." And in such drinking only one unquiet thought-we decadents. How they hate us decadents! And they think of history, and they hate us the more. Who stood between Phillip II., with his great Armada and his dreaming? Who between Louis the XIV., with his conquering legions? Who between Napoleon, with a world subdued? Who stands between-too infuriating for words-the German and his dreaming? How he hates us, not only for our riches, not only for our colonies, but that we stand between him and his prey!

And as we have said, in all these day-dreamings they have been encouraged by their philosophers and teachers. It is always an interesting inquiry whether thinkers who have most affected mankind have made contemporary thought or simply voiced it. On the whole it would seem the most successful prophet is not the prophet of a wholly new faith, but the prophet who gives to vague, elusive, but general ideas expression and form. And certainly in this case they seem to have struck a responsive chord in the whole nation. The whole country is saturated with their teaching. It is very specious.

For a moment listen to Treitschke on the glories of militancy and of war:

The brutal incidents inseparable from every war vanish completely before the idealism of the main result. . . . All the sham reputations which a long spell of peace undoubtedly fosters are unmasked. Great personalities take their proper places; strength, honour, and truth come to the front, and are put into play. A thousand touching traits testify to the sacred power of love which a righteous war awakes in a noble nation

War opens the most fruitful field for all virtues, for at every moment constancy, pity, magnanimity, heroism, and mercy shine forth. . . . War is elevating because the individual

disappears before the great conception of the sta devotion of members of a community to each oth where so splendidly conspicuous as in war." And conclusion: "What a perversion of morality to abolish heroism amongst men." *

Again, we are naturally indignant with Germ having forced this war upon us, for in what prosperity jeopardize her own? Have we n well together? Has not Herbert Spencer pro yond dispute that the interests of nations conflicting but the same, and that we all do ill together, and that, the greater our progr greater will be her progress, and the grea advancement the more also we shall benefit? he proved beyond dispute that in these days of and machinery the only limit to a nation's pri is its own industry and its own habits? And equally proved to-day that what the world learn is not how to increase its riches, but ho wisely the superabundance it already possesse for what are we at war? we again indignantly

To us such arguments are conclusive; such philosophy and teaching. Our interest flicting? they scornfully in turn demand. interests of humanity, the interests of race c the interests which raise man above the be only for swill and plenty of it, are these part in the life of a great nation? If by int mean only material interests you may be righ qualified, your contention does not appeal to have altogether different ideals-higher i think-and it is our mission to be apostles o virtue, and progress. And so, vigorous in at further demand, what have your ideals done "Look at your masses," they say, with u disdain. They slouch, they are slackers, the kempt, they are quarrelsome, they are una they are unhealthy. The wisdom of Ecclesia

* F. von Bernhardi, Germany and the Next Wor

ttle

Unles

hat gives it beauty of form and very charm is that your mind has stimulated effort, pleasing effort, ow in our brief survey may the as we touch on the past.

tancy we find it is very old-old The strong man armed keepeth w of the old world, and the only an was the be all and end all of s. Life was one long peril-peril rom wild beasts; peril from still all, their hand was against every hand was against them. To be hed. At best it meant to be ennate who escaped extermination. 1 by many a philosophy as the existing conditions by voluntary teable as a general premiss, this rect as regards social life as a ot itself or give place. Thus the by militancy in all ancient instiements of mankind we see three triarchal, The Theocratic, and the h the first was the direct outcome ons, the pressing need for actual e most authoritative account that in a somewhat advanced stage is early chapters of the book of interesting and instructive episode n the herdsmen of Lot and those of ulted in their going their several how prepared for fighting these e. On the instant they could act, such life, when very existence demilitary efficiency, we always find d in the head or chief. His word

the door of his tent dispensing ith were at his nod, and from his no appeal. Man and woman, inger and captive, all alike were

disappears before the great conception of the state. The devotion of members of a community to each other is nowhere so splendidly conspicuous as in war." And thus his conclusion: "What a perversion of morality to wish to abolish heroism amongst men." *

Again, we are naturally indignant with Germany for having forced this war upon us, for in what does our prosperity jeopardize her own? Have we not done well together? Has not Herbert Spencer proved beyond dispute that the interests of nations are not conflicting but the same, and that we all do well and ill together, and that, the greater our progress, the greater will be her progress, and the greater her advancement the more also we shall benefit? Has not he proved beyond dispute that in these days of science and machinery the only limit to a nation's prosperity is its own industry and its own habits? And is it not equally proved to-day that what the world wants to learn is not how to increase its riches, but how to use wisely the superabundance it already possesses? Then for what are we at war? we again indignantly demand.

We

To us such arguments are conclusive; not so to such philosophy and teaching. Our interests not conflicting? they scornfully in turn demand. Are the interests of humanity, the interests of race cultivation, the interests which raise man above the beast, caring only for swill and plenty of it, are these to play no part in the life of a great nation? If by interests you mean only material interests you may be right, but, so qualified, your contention does not appeal to us. have altogether different ideals-higher ideals, we think and it is our mission to be apostles of culture, virtue, and progress. And so, vigorous in attack, they further demand, what have your ideals done for you? "Look at your masses," they say, with unutterable disdain. They slouch, they are slackers, they are unkempt, they are quarrelsome, they are unappetizing, they are unhealthy. The wisdom of Ecclesiasticus tells

* F. von Bernhardi, Germany and the Next War, pp. 27-8.