especially in the United States, to suggest
that neither Treitschke nor Bernhardi fairly reflect the political
philosophy of official Germany. Treitschke's influence as an historian
and lecturer could not well be denied but attempts have been made
to impress America that Bernhardi has no standing to speak for his
country and that the importance of his teachings should therefore be
minimized.

Apart from the wide popularity of Bernhardi's writings in Germany, the
German Government has never repudiated Bernhardi's conclusions or
disclaimed responsibility therefor. While possibly not an officially
authorized spokesman, yet he is as truly a representative thinker in
the German military system as Admiral Mahan was in the Navy of the
United States. Of the acceptance by Prussia of Bernhardi's teachings
there is one irrefutable proof. It is Belgium. The destruction of that
unoffending country is the full harvest of this twentieth-century
Machiavelliism.

A few recent utterances from a representative physician, a prominent
journalist, and a distinguished retired officer of the German Army may
be quoted as showing how completely infatuated a certain class of
German thinkers has become with the gospel of force for the purpose of
attaining world power.

Thus a Dr. Fuchs, in a book on the subject of preparedness for war,
says:

Therefore the German claim of the day must be: The family to
the front. The State has to follow at first in the school,
then in foreign politics. _Education to hate. Education to
the estimation of hatred. Organization of hatred. Education
to the desire for hatred. Let us abolish unripe and false
shame before brutality and fanaticism._ We must not hesitate
to announce: To us is given faith, hope, and hatred, _but
hatred is the greatest among them_.

Maximilian Harden, one of the most influential German journalists,
says:

Let us drop our miserable attempts to excuse Germany's
action. Not against our will and as a nation taken by
surprise did we hurl ourselves into this gigantic venture.
_We willed it. We had to will it. We do not stand before
the judgment seat of Europe. We acknowledge no such
jurisdiction. Our might shall create a new law in Europe._
It is Germany that strikes. When she has conquered new
domains for her genius then the priesthoods of all the gods
will praise the God of War.

Still more striking an