al--perhaps somewhat narrow. They profess the doctrine "Live and
let live" and in a large measure they are willing and anxious to
practice it.

How is it possible to harmonize the Declaration of Independence with the
subjugation of peoples and the conquest of territory? If governments
"derive their just powers from the consent of the governed," and if it
is the right of a people to alter or to abolish any government which
does not insure their safety and happiness, then manifestly subjugation
and conquest are impossible.

The letter and the spirit of the Declaration of Independence contradict
the letter and spirit of imperial purpose word for word and line for
line. There can be no harmony between these two theories of social life.

6. _Advertising Imperialism_

Since the tradition of the people of the United States and the
necessities of imperialism are so utterly at variance, it becomes
necessary to convince the American people that they should abandon
their traditions and accept a new order of society, under which the will
to power shall be substituted for liberty and fraternity. The ruling
class of imperial Germany did this frankly and in so many words. The
English speaking world is more adroit.

The first step in the campaign to advertise and justify imperialism is
the teaching of a blind my-country-right-or-wrong patriotism. In the
days preceding the war the idea was expressed in the phrase, "Stand
behind the President." The object of this teaching is to instill in the
minds of the people, and particularly of the young, the principles of
"Deutschland ueber alles," which, in translation, means "America first."
There are more than twenty million children in the public schools of the
United States who are receiving daily lessons in this first principle of
popular support for imperial policy.

Having taken this first step and made the state supreme over the
individual will and conscience, the imperial class makes its next
move--for "national defense." The country is made to appear in constant
danger from attack. Men are urged to protect their homes and their
families. They are persuaded that the white dove of peace cannot rest
securely on anything less than a great navy and army large enough to
hold off aggressors. The same forces that are most eager to preach
patriotism are the most anxious about national preparedness.

Meanwhile the plain people are taught to regard themselves and their
civilization as sup