own solemn promises
and to increase its might, war is the appointed means. Both Treitschke
and Moltke conceived it as "an ordinance set by God" and "one of the
two highest functions" of the State. The doctrine is carried to the
blasphemous conclusion that war is an ordinance of a just and merciful
God; that, to quote Bernhardi, "it is a biological necessity" and
that "the living God will see to it that war shall always recur as
a terrible medicine for humanity." Therefore "might is at once the
supreme right and the dispute as to what is right is decided by the
arbitrament of war," which gives a "biologically just decision."

This means that the 42 centimeter howitzer is more moral than a gun
of smaller caliber and that the justice of God depends upon the
superiority of Krupp to other ordnance manufacturers.

Treitschke tells us, and the statement is quoted by Bernhardi with
approval, that "the end all and be all of a state is power, and he who
is not man enough to look this truth in the face should not meddle
with politics." To this Bernhardi adds that the State's highest moral
duty is to increase its power and in so doing "_the State is the sole
judge of the morality of its own action. It is in fact above morality
or, in other words whatever is necessary is moral._"

Again we learn that the State must not allow any conventional
sympathies to distract it from its object and that "conditions may
arise which are more powerful than the most honorable intentions."

All efforts directed towards the abolition of war are denominated as
not only "foolish but absolutely immoral." To indicate that in this
prosecution of war for the increase of dominion, chivalry would be a
weakness and magnanimity a crime, we are finally told that "the State
is a law unto itself" and that "weak nations have not the same right
to live as powerful and vigorous nations." Even as to weak nations, we
are further advised that the powerful and vigorous nation--which alone
apparently has the right to live--must not wait for some act of
aggression or legitimate _casus belli_, but that it is justified in
deliberately provoking a war, and that the happiest results have
always followed such "deliberately provoked wars," for "the prospects
of success are the greatest when the moment for declaring war can be
selected to suit the political and military situation."

As the weak nations have no moral right to live it becomes important
to remember that in th