knowing the innermost thoughts and feelings of his fellow citizens. It is their thoughts and feelings that he will wish to carry into full effect in the treaty of peace that he will one day negotiate and submit to the Senate for ratification. Every American who has given, in the four tragic years now almost ended, any serious consideration to the problems of the war-and especially the problems of peace-should now speak out. Our failure to speak out during the period of neutrality was one of the great contributing causes to that period of the neutrality which America now most regrets. Let us not repeat that error. History repeats itself. A striking parallel can be drawn, not only between the present world war and the world war of the eighteenth century, but also between the present situation and that which existed in 1815 on the fall of Napoleon. Let us hope that the world will now avoid the fatal error which was then committed. Changing the word "Europe" to "civilization," the words that Robert Southey wrote in 1814 can be now profitably repeated: Who counsels peace at this momentous hour, When God has given deliverance to the oppressed, And to the injured power? Who counsels peace, when Vengeance like a flood Rolls on, no longer now to be repressed, When innocent blood From the four corners of the world cries out When Freedom hath her holy banners spread NEW YORK, October 21, 1918. J. M. B. Acknowledgment is here made of the courtesy of Harper & Bros. for their willingness to allow the author to embody in Chapter III. a portion of an article which he contributed to the September, 1917, issue of Harper's Monthly. The reckoning at hand-By what standard to be measured? -The higher law, its origin, existence, and recognition -Germany's conduct a challenge to this law and a denial of its existence-The workings of this law seen in the records of history. CHAPTER II THE HIGHER LAW AND THE WORLD WAR Causes of present world war-Seizure of Silesia by Frederick the Great-The partitions of Poland-Condonation of Prussia's successive violations of the higher law-The Turkish atrocities-Russia's defense of the SlavsThe Congress of Berlin-Austria and Germany emboldened by constant condonation of their offenses-Intervention by leading nations in 1914 might have prevented war-Collective responsibility of nations for peace of world-Allies' waning demand for "punitive" justice-The higher law demands the destruction of Prussian Empire-Industrial Germany's dependence upon allied countries for raw materials-Possibility of disintegration of Prussian Empire-Imperial Government will vanish with power that created it— Best of Germany not Prussian-Destruction of Prus PAGE V sian Empire by separation of Prussia from the German PAGE 28 Is a nobler Germany a possibility?-Distinction between Prussia and Germany and Imperial Government and German people-Peace and war parties in Germany- Dr. Francke's article-His mistaken reasoning- Socialist opposition in Germany to the war-Possibility of an economic boycott against Germany after war- THE LIBERATION OF THE GERMAN PEOPLE German people's defiance of Kaiserism as shown by growth sufficient; Prussia itself must go-United States in PAGE 88 CHAPTER V THE WORLD Drama Possible exceptions to author's argument-Bismarck's shameless policy of statecraft-The theft of SchleswigHolstein-Every nation has two personalities, that of its living citizenship and that of its institutional history-This illustrated by sketch of character and outline of these two personalities of the United States -These two personalities of the nations will be present at peace conference in spirit-An understanding of the war impossible without an understanding of the psychology of historic entities participating in it— This best illustrated by a literary analogy-Shakespeare's Hamlet best visualizes personalities of the nations at war-The great impression of this play upon human thought-Argument of the play-An interesting literary curiosity discussed-Characters assigned to the various nations and reasons therefor 120 CHAPTER VI THE HAMLET OF NATIONS United States the Hamlet of the literary analogy-America now the Hamlet of the last act-Theories of causes of Hamlet's temporizing-Changed spirit of America since entering the war-Its attitude during period of neutrality-Partial justification for this attitude found in assumed isolation of America-America's awakening in March, 1918-A glorious chapter in American history -What part will America play at the peace table? 162 |