g over the discussion, asks for justice towards
the nations, for every one of them is, as it were, entangled in the net
of the imperialist policy of Europe. He protests against the prejudiced
and superficial outlook of those who can see nothing but the worst of
any nation: of those who in the case of Germany concentrate attention on
the spirit of a Treitschke or a Bernhardi and on the crime of the
occupation of Belgium; of those who in the case of England can see
nothing but the policy of Joseph Chamberlain and Cecil Rhodes, nothing
but the Boer War. The mission of Switzerland is to realise the tragedy
of mankind as a whole, and not to identify herself with any particular
section of humanity. "Childish and stupid are the views of those for
whom half of Europe should be placed in the pillory, while the other
half should wear the aureole of all the virtues and all the heroisms"
(Patry).

PART THREE.

Can Imperialism be Justified?

A. THE CHAMPIONS OF IMPERIALISM.

In only one section, that of Basle, does imperialism find defenders.
Walterlin takes up his parable on its behalf, glorifying it in the
spirit and the style of Nietzsche. "Imperialism," he declares, "is the
artery of the world, the sole source of greatness, the creator of all
progress." ...

B. THE OPPONENTS OF IMPERIALISM.

Opposition to imperialism is voiced by all the other sections. Most of
them are content to show that imperialism is a menace to Switzerland,
but Schmidhauser is by no means satisfied with this narrow and selfish
outlook. He explains the material and moral disasters which necessarily
result from imperialism, and from its offspring, the world war.
Imperialism destroys civilisation. It saps morality and law, the two
things upon which human society is founded. It is hostile to three
fundamental ideas: to the idea of the unity of mankind; to the idea of
individuality; to the idea that every individual should have the right
of self-determination.

PART FOUR.

Opposition between the genuinely Swiss Outlook and the Imperialist
Outlook.

The existence of this opposition is admitted, as a matter of principle,
by all the participants in the discussion. But difficulties arise when
they come to consider the policy which Switzerland should in particular
pursue. "What are we entitled to speak of as peculiarly and primitively
Swiss?" (Patry).

A beginning is made by defining the political essence of Switzerland,
stress being laid, f