The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-10-18
George l.. Beer Believes Former German
Colonial Minister Is Here to Stem
Tide of Public Disapproval

| control ltS action III international rela-
tons rest upon the doctrines OF Machl-
aveili. The great Florentine taught
that there was fundamental distinc-
ton between the standards Of public
ana Of private ethics and that raison
| dctat superseded In international rela-
lions the ethical code that was binding
in the 1T" of Individuals This princi-
| pie has been elaborated 10y many
modern German writer's. notably by
| Trc,tschkr, and 10y his disciple Bern
| hard.
Accord.as to- them the morality Of
| the ate mus, be developed out OF lis
own peculiar essence just as individual
morality il rooted in the personality OF
| The man and his duties toward society"
The end all and be all of a State il
| power" nor mere material force he It
said, but power to protect and promote
! the higher interests, which in this case
! are inevitably Identical with German
| kuitur. The STATE Ia Itself the high
| est concept on in the wider community
! of man. and is bound by none Of the
| moral concepts that restrain the in
dlv.dual man The world is represented
rs composed OF a series Of such morally
! scli-guh ion; States. each law unto
.ts.f ami ,',h striving for mastery
10, r. l,s ur!gAbor Biological analogies--
| .nc strur-Ir for cN stence and the sur
/ ylvll of The fttest-are crudely used
! To- explain ine whole process OF social
/ evolution AS result great stress Is
aid upcu military strength. which is
.n.lricd as an infallibie index Of a
states cultural efficiency. As the fore
most fm,t.oA Of the state is to increase
I .;s power, so It is It's duty TO wage war
/ whenever he conditions are favorable
for such an Increase, and it is IAN un-
/ pardonabie biunder" to miss such an
| opportunity.
ia may be" writes Bernhard, that
/ a growing people cannot win colonies
I from unc.vilized races, and yet the
/ State fAlshes TO retain the surplus popu-
lst.on which the mother country can no
longer feed Then the only course left
is TO acquire the necessary territory
bv war In such cases might
gives the right to occupy or TO conquer.
Might Is at once the supreme right and
the dispute as TO what Is right Is de-
cided by the nrhltrament OF war. War
gives a biologicsily Just decision, since
Its decisions rest on the very nature of
things"
Il Is superfiuous 70 point out that
such doctrines imply complete dis
regard of the rights OF other nations
Their meaning vii, probably be brought
more clearly to Americans by one
further quotation from Bernhard which
ouches us to the quick. According to
him. England committed the unpar-
donatle blunder, from her point Of view
of not supporting the Southern States
in the American war of secession"
since IT allowed the growth of a rival
nation which. SO he claims, is great
merace to England's fortunes. The
imaglnR,iun does not like TO dwell upon
,hat would have happened had German
lpul.tical science dictated Englands de-
ols!on.
II il idle for DR. Dernburg to contend
that these fundamental principles are
not the actuating forces in German
policy. Germany's course toward Bel
GUM speaks for Itself II Is true that
the writings Of Treitschke and Bern
hard are merely those of private in
dly.duals but tho same IDEAS are con-
sp.cuous under the thinnrst of veneers
IN Prince Won BdeloW's Imperial Ger
many" The utteranccs OF an ex-Chan-
Cc,lor who directed German policy for
years cannot but carry conviction. This
book. which may FOR historical, II not
literary reasons become classic like
Ma,hiavel.Ia Prince" proves conclu-
al, ly that German policy Is based solely
upon seif-interest and j. not in the least
influenced by any con Liberation of the
r!Ehts Of others