The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1918-02-11
(By David Starr Jordan)

10y bdVlQ
The dynastic system is the taproot
of war. 1t persists as a survival from
medieval traditions, with no proper
place in the civilization of today. Its
presence has precipitated the world
war, because in Germany with anti
quated preconceptions it has become
possessed of all the resources of sci
ence. It's existence is bound up in
war. 1t rests on three props-force,
intrigue and superstition-and all
these weaken in time of peace. Mill
tarism, cutthroat diplomacy, and The
claim of the divine right, without
these no dynasty could maintain it
self or be other than a pretense Of
social display.
The plutocratic system often per-
sonified as capitalism" is an off
shoot of democracy, grated, in its
own interest, on the dynastic stem.
''Big blsiness'' fears and distrusts
war, though it does not hesitate to
utilize it's machinery whenever any
thing is to be gained by it. 1t uses
war for it's own ends VIXEN war is
in the air. and in prospect. 1t is true
that greed has been grossly evident
in the inception of most wars and on
both sides, but it is rarely the original
motive force. For that we must look
primarily to dynastic demands and
next to it's war rivalries, secret fntrf-
CUES, and open conflicts. 1t is true
that national ambitions with the eco
nomic limitations and distractions by
which nations are hemmed in are
made powerful incentives to discord.
1t is equally true that personal am
billions and economic embarrassment
often furnish impelling incentives to
burglary. But there exists no logical
reason why national unrest should RI
pen into war or individual discon-
tent into robbery. The remedy in
either case, where remedy exists
must be sought within the bounds of
law and order. Reciprocity is the ra-
Itional cure for national economic ills.
Justice is the only cure for those OF
the individual.
The dynast4c system besides its ar
mics, it's serpentine diplomatic ser
vice, and its state church, demands
the backing of philosophy. And with
this, the ruling caste of Germany has
amply provided itself. And as ''all
good things come in threes" Gale
quite Dinge sind drea"), in Germany
the philosophy of the dynastic state
is threefold-the supreme state, or
"Statt," the supreme discipline, or
"Kultur," and the supreme duty of
power, or social Darwinism."
The theory of the supreme state
figures an ideal entity oVerarching
the sovereign nation as the sky over
arches the earth, thus existing over
and above and apart from the peo-
Piles which it watches, feeds, and pro-
tects, as the landowner guards his
sheep. The sheep are not consulted
as to methods of defense, nor as to
the time when they should be duly
shorn. The parallel is clear, for the
final aim in both cases is found in
the shearing. On the supreme state,
the people may not impinge in any
way On the other hand, the state,
which lies beyond the reach of all
morals and can do no wrong, must
/ impinge on them. To this end the
DYNASTY is established with its array
, of satellites, parasites, and favorites
r who actually control. And as the dyn-
asty is neither self-chosen through its
, own innate power, nor elected by the
people it must claim divine origin
And this claim is a transparent sham
The supreme state is in fact the cloak
behind which autocracy hides its
crimes and follies and those of its
svcophants and tyrants. The King OF
. Emperor heads the dynasty only ir
name. He is the creature of the sys-
tenn. and there are few dynastic rul-
org who ever draw a breath of fresh
l air or ever see in truthfulness any
5 part of the actual world outside.
4 The theory of supreme discipline OF
t ''Kultur," involves a system of dis
: cipline enforced from above This in
t ciudes not Only compulsory education
Asultural and vocational, with enforced