El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1915-03-13

fhDl many AettI-7
come to me from the United
Il states and from American news
PAPERS, I observe that my books. Ger
many and Next War" and "Our Fu-
ture." are being used in the United
States by the press for the purpose OF
stirring up public opinion against Ger
many as the Power really respoHslole
for the world war.
It is alleged that I had, in frivol-
Gus manner. argued for war that L
had pictured war, and especially war
Of conquest, as a necessary, andf IN
deed. the most reliable, instrument OF
craftsmanship; that had preached a
war against England had proclaimed
that the destruction Of the BRUSH
world-empire was world necessity
and that I had put forward as the es-
sentiaI aim of German craftsmanship
the erection Of German World-doIll-
nation
Thus I an accused OF being par
tfoipant in the guilt that lies upon
those who began the struggle now
shaking the world, q struggle which,
therefore. is declared to have Its root
and origin in the unheard OF and un-
justified claims to power on the part
OF Germauy-in her world-threatenlnS
1uilftarism. Even such innocent re-
marks as that the Germans with the
Irish represent in the United states
political power which an admlnistra-
tfon must take into account are rep
resented as though by this simple
statement Of fact had intended 10
point out the possibility Of dOmiuat-
ing Americas foreign policy in the IN
terest OF Germany
Erroneous Understanding.
All this rests upon an absolutely
erroneous understanding Of what /
have written; nothing like il can be
read out Of my books unless one
tears out af their context certain de
tails and mistranslates other details
I confess that sometimes one really
feels tempted to yield 10 the belief
that such a misleading Interpretation
of my words is the work Of conscious
error, for whoever reads what have
written cOnsecutively and without
bias must-if he is an honest seeker
after the truth-arrive at a cOncep-
tion entirely different TO that which
seems TO have become current in
America
I have indeed proved, 7 think, that
war is a necessity in the life Of ma
rions-notWithstand that II carries
in its train unspeakable misery; not
withstandinE that often IL allows the
lower instincts Of the human being
10 assert themselves for, on the 9TH
er hand, all the noble characteristics Of
human nature, most noble Of all the
unselfish devotion to an IDEAL the
spirit OF self-sacrifice in the service of
that ideal are in war exhibited. Dem
high qualities by a nation would nat
urally lead it to the place Of influence
il deserved in the world thus inuring
10 the furtherance OF the cause OF
civilization and humanity This 1 have
proved alike from a study Of history
and from a consideration Of the nature
Of man. from a comparison of national
characteristics and ideals, from a
scrutiny of the issues Of the law Of
combat in all natural Development 1
have claimed that thus war has IN
history justified itself and would in
the future continue to do So
When War Is Justified.
On the other hand, I have always,
that war, and especially war Of con-
quest. must be held an extra ordinary
means of politics; that il is justified
only when waged for the highest in
terests and ideals Of nation and after
all peaceful means OF safeguarding
those highest interests have been eE-
hausued- I have emphasized in the
most pointed manner the moral reQuis-
ties in connection with a political use
Of warfare. and have especially and at
length dwelt upon the enOrmity Of the
responsibility Of him who begins a
war
frivolous or purely material purposes
this [ have not failed TO declare:
how, on the other hand, the highest
interests OF a nation must never be
sacrificed TO nerveless or slOthful love
OF Deace-that I have not failed 70
assert From the standpoint OF the
historian and the philosopher I admit
it TO be my opinion that it may be not
only the right, but, under certain cir