120 THE MORAL ASPECT OF 



way ; that self-sacrifice, which, in some circumstances, is 

 the duty of an individual, is never the duty of a State ; 

 that a State is both entitled and bound to be more selfish 

 in its relation to other States than is morally permissible 

 to individuals ; and that national selfishness ceases to be 

 selfishness in any proper sense of the word, and becomes 

 patriotism. 



Indeed, when patriotic considerations enter, problems 

 seem to change their aspect even for the ordinary citizen. 

 The love of humanity must not be allowed to obscure 

 his duties to his own country. " I address you," says one 

 of our political leaders, "as Britons, and address you as 

 patriots." Other "great nations consider, and rightly 

 consider, their own interests first. ... I want that 

 Britons, all over the world, should learn the lesson that 

 they should treat each other better than they treat anyone 

 else." 



Now, what is to be said of this view ? That it is easily 

 caricatured is obvious. We have only to say that great 

 statesmen may act like kings and think like emperors, 

 leaving the minor moralities to the minor prophets and 

 the little men ; and that there is room enough for affection 

 on our own national hearth, and time enough for phil- 

 anthropy out of business hours. But this does not dispose 

 of the truth that lies in the doctrine. For it is true that 

 business is business ; that patriotism has its obligations 

 as well as its privileges ; that statesmen must not be 

 judged in their public capacity precisely as when they are 

 engaged upon their private affairs. Nay, we may state 

 the fact quite generally, and. say that every one of the 

 different relations between men demands a different 

 response. We should be neither wise nor good if we 



