onvinced that force does
not pay, that the aims and policy of her military rulers inflict
intolerable and also unnecessary suffering upon her. The regeneration of
Germany, a real new birth, is necessary if the peace of the world is to
be secured; and surely by now we might have learned that such
regeneration will never come unless Germany is beaten in this War. As
Lord Grey says, "Recent military success and the ascendancy of Prussian
militarism have reduced the advocates of anything but force to silence"
in Germany. As these words are written comes the report of the sinking
of the hospital ship _Llandovery Castle_, followed by cold-blooded and
deliberate murder. The mass of German crime grows daily.

The "economic boycott" above referred to differs absolutely in its aim
and character from the proposal to impose a permanent and continuous
boycott on German commerce to maintain and extend British or other trade
at the expense of Germany. Phrases are sometimes used here which seem to
be almost a repetition of those so dear to the Pan-German party.
"Destroy British commerce that German may replace it," is echoed back as
"Destroy German commerce that British may replace it." The whole idea
that the progress and extension of the trade and industry of one country
is an injury to another is radically false. A spirit of jealousy,
regarding the prosperity of others as involving injury to ourselves, is
a curse to the individual, to the class, or to the nation which is
imbued with it.

To put these questions on the highest moral basis--on a true religious
basis, if you will--is not cant, but only a recognition of the real
facts. The world will without doubt everlastingly perish unless this
true faith is maintained and acted upon. Self-interest and
self-aggrandisement as dominant motives inevitably lead to destruction,
hastened by every advance in the knowledge and in the efficiency of
those who take them as their guides.

FOOTNOTES:

[Footnote 3: These words were written before July 9th, and perhaps now
require some modification.]

CHAPTER V

LEAGUE OF NATIONS--ITS SCOPE AND AIM

_Just so while it is highly important to have
controversies between nations settled by arbitration
rather than by war, and the growth of sentiment in favour
of that peaceable method of settlement is one of the
great advances in civilisation of this generation; yet
the true basis of peace among men is to be f