228 The Intellectual Revolution 



loss of the flower of its manhood and the destruc- 

 tion of its national wealth. On the part of the 

 growing democratic forces of the nations at least 

 we shall witness a definite turning away from a 

 philosophy which has proven itself false by leading 

 so directly and so inevitably to such a breakdown 

 of civilization. 



But if the old path of force is wrong, how are 

 we to escape from it, where shall we find the main 

 highway of true progress, from which the human 

 race has wandered so far astray? 



As between nations, at least, the new path is 

 known. It consists in world organization — the 

 establishment of a system of international justice 

 to replace the disastrous international anarchy of 

 the past. Can this special solution be generalized 

 for the entire social order? Can any guiding 

 principle be found for the whole problem of the 

 place of force in human relations? 



At least it is a gain to have found, even though 

 it has been at such a terrible cost of life and 

 treasure, that the path which has been followed 

 in the past is a wrong one. The recognition of 

 error is the first step towards truth. And at least 

 we can go so far as to say that we will take as a 

 touchstone of social and political action in the 

 future this question, "Will this action, if adopted, 

 lead towards a diminution of physical j or ce in human 

 relationships?^' 



Since force is socially, morally, and economically 



