very strong terms, against the
notorious manifesto of the 93. Punishment did not tarry. He was at once
relieved of his post, and was appointed medical assistant at the
isolation hospital in the little fortress of Graudenz. Being under no
illusions as to the reasons for this arbitrary and absurd measure, he
devoted his spare time to the preparation of his book, _The Biology of
War_. Now came the sinking of the Lusitania, which was a terrible shock
to Nicolai, affecting him as if he had been struck with a whip. At
dinner with a few of his comrades, he declared that the violation of
Belgian neutrality, the use of poison gas, and the torpedoing of
merchantmen, were not merely immoral actions, but were acts of
incredible stupidity, which would sooner or later ruin the German
empire. One of those present, his colleague Dr. Knoll, could find
nothing better to do than to inform against him. Anew dismissed from his
post, Nicolai was sent in disgrace to one of the most out-of-the-way
corners of Germany. He protested in the name of justice. He appealed to
the emperor. The latter, he was given to understand, wrote on the margin
of the report of his case: "Der Mann ist ein Idealist, man soll ihn
gewaehren lassen!" (The man is an idealist. Let him alone!)

He was sent back to Berlin in the winter of 1915-16, with instructions
to be on his good behaviour. Ignoring these instructions, immediately
after his return to the university he began a course of lectures upon
"War as an evolutionary Factor in human History." The lectures were
promptly prohibited, and Nicolai was sent to Danzig, where he was
strictly forbidden to speak or write on political topics. Nicolai took
exception to this order, on the ground that he was a civilian. Thereupon
an attempt was made to administer to him the oath of loyalty and
obedience. He refused. Summoned before a court-martial, and warned of
the consequences of refusal, he persisted. He was thereupon reduced to
the ranks, and for two and a half years was engaged in futile clerical
work as a private in the army medical corps. Nevertheless, he finished
his book, and it went to press in Germany. The first two hundred pages
had been set up when an information against it was lodged by the chief
clerk of a great submarine dockyard, who said indignantly, "We earn our
money arduously in the war, and this fellow is writing in favour of
peace!" Nicolai was arrested and his manuscript was seized. After a
lengthy tria