The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1914-09-18
lex NIETzscHE AND THIS
WAR
The PhiIosophie Basis Of German
MiIitarism.

NNOIG."WG UIluL ILLS Oh tANAO "AsAN l
misgivings for fear that
Its length will preclude its being read,
but il one wants to be Informed as TO
the real reason for the domination OF !,
the war spirit which obtains so uni
yersaIly throughout the German en-
pire he will find it outlined in this
article which we copy direct from the
Scoteman printed at Edinburgh Tor
the favor of which we are indebted
10 Mr.. Leslie of Panasoffkee.-Editor
Banner.)
Frederick Nietzsche was born I'M
1874 and died in 1900. He had lived
long enough to leave Philosophy Oh
war, which Germany is attempting toI
put into practice today. We blame
Bismarck's "blood-and-iron" policy for
the present struggle among the ma
fions: but it was Friedrich Nietzsche
who expended merely brutal phrase
into daring and captivating philoso-
phy, which has cast fatal spell upon
the rulers of Germany, from the
kaiser downwards.
Take as starting-point book re-
Gently published and much reviewed,
entitled Germany and the Next
War;" written by Count Bernhard,
himself German general. This vol
ume bears on its title-page as a motto
one of Nietzsche's typical aphorism's:
War and courage have done more
great things than the love of the
neighbor." But this is not all; for
Bernhard employs the groundwork of
Nietzsche's philosophy to advocate
the wisdom and necessity of armed
strife. The basis of Nietzsche's
arguments is to be found in a sup
posed lesson from the science of
bioiogy-namely, Mature red in tooth
and claw; and over and over again
does the philosopher turn to biology
for instances to buttress his barbaric
evangel But at any rate there is
hope in the exact sciences, and most
OF all in biology" Turn now to Bern
hardi; and what do we read? "War
is a biological necessity, an indispen-
sable regulator in the life of man
kind, falling which would result
course of evolution deleterious to the
species, as well as utterly antagonis-
tic to all culture. War, said Heracli-
tus,, is the father of all things. With
ont war, inferior or demoralised
races would only too easily swamp
the healthy and vital ones, and gen.
eral decadence would be the conse-
quence. War is one of the essential
factors to morality. If circumstances
require, it is not only the right, but
the moral and political duty, of a
statesman to bring about a war"
Thus we see plain soldier impress
ing modern science and ancient pa
gan writer in justification of his own
profession. Where did the soldier
find his learning? In the writings of
NietZsche, who was a student of biol
ogy and professor of classical philos-
ophy.
The fact is that Nietzsche has be-
come the bible of the military caste
in Germany. His dazzling rhetoric
and diction have glorified war into "a
thing of beauty" More dangerous
still is the praise he pours upon the
class he calls supreme-the rulers of
the future-who are to be, above all
else, lords of war. 1t is not wonderful
that he has caught many impetuous
minds in his alluring net; nor is It'll
remarkable that his writings are be-
ing read today even by the bellicose
tyrants of South American republics.
Let us now attempt to explain the
amazing philosophy of Nietzsche, and
in the process there will be discover
ed parallel to the present policy of
Germany which is realty startling.
Nietzsche knew for whom he was
writing; and he pens thus:-"Thel
real philosophers are commanders
and law-givers." His ideal society
was a pyramid. with "the king above
all. as the highest formula of war
rior. Judge, and keeper of the law
Surrounding the king are the war
riors. who are "the guardians Of
right. the keepers of order and Sc
Curity," as also "the executive OF the
most intellectual" Under this caste
are the mediocre ones whose business
is buying and selling: and beneath
all are the drudges, who must be
policed and watched lest they should
indulge in dreams of democracy. Is
not this counterpart of the Germany
OF today? Yes. it may be answered,
and perhaps of other countries. too.
Admitted; but wait and see" the sig
nificance of the social pyramid in