o ought to be in the Army. It stands to reason
that it is always the dregs of the population who show their
patriotism by this sort of behaviour. Still, it is refreshing to
see someone taking some sort of action. Everybody here is cursing
the Government for its remissness with regard to Germans and
Austrians resident in this country. There are exceptions, such as
Germans who have absorbed the British spirit, but, generally
speaking, Germans, even if naturalised, must retain their
patriotic feelings towards their Fatherland, and the patriotic
German is, of course, England's enemy. Therefore he will try his
best to do us all the harm he can.

Personally I think we ought to take stern action in regard to the
internment of all Germans in this country. My argument is not
based on trivial ideas of retaliation or punishment, but it is
based on facts such as the following: (_a_) I am a Britisher,
Britain is fighting; so I fight for Britain and wish to see her
everywhere victorious: (_b_) In Nature the strongest survive and
the weaker go to the wall, and in this war Britain must prove
herself either the stronger or the weaker: (_c_) Our policy must
be guided by the idea of proving ourselves the stronger in deeds,
not words--not by talk of justice or right, because invariable
universal abstract standards of justice and right never existed,
and never will exist, in this world. The ideal never was anything
but a dream--that is why the poet can never be a politician, and
vice versa. We must not let sentimental considerations stand
between us and victory. Sounds just like a German talking,
doesn't it? Yes, I do agree with the German point of view--except
as regards frightfulness, which is really folly and does not
achieve its end--but I transfer the point of view to England. Why
should England allow any rival to stand in her way? In any case,
are we not the world's greatest political people and the best
colonisers? Leave the realms of Art to the other nations if you
like--England never will be artistic, I fear--but Art is not
politics. Politics--I mean primarily foreign policy--signifies
the adaptation of a nation to environment of time, place and
circumstance, and it is that which is the ruling fact of life.

I am now quite converted to the doctrine of fa