1912] Militarist Philosophy 



But not one of these alleged principles has scientific 

 validity. As concerns the first, while human nature 

 changes slowly, the angle of vision may alter sud- 

 denly; and in those phases of public opinion often mis- 

 taken for "human nature," education plays a domi- 

 nant part. Secondly, clashes in views or interests 

 unavoidable in human society do not necessarily, or 

 naturally, lead to the impersonal machine-made 

 cooperative manslaughter of modern war. Finally, 

 natural selection means the survival of those indi- 

 viduals fitted to their surroundings and the persist- 

 ence through heredity of their traits. The dogma of Sodd 

 "Social Darwinism" which would apply this principle ^^™"' 

 to international or inter-racial rivalries has no foun- Darwinian 

 dation in the theories or discoveries of Darwin. The 

 "struggle for existence," properly understood, is 

 primarily the tendency or effort towards self-main- 

 tenance amid more or less adverse conditions of life; 

 and mutual aid is a factor as necessary as any of the 

 varied forms of competition.^ 



I was told that the lecturer had been making a 

 tour around the world, speaking at different places 

 to Germans in order to bring them into harmony with 

 Pangermanist plans. ^ But among those present 

 with whom I spoke I found no sympathy with his 

 point of view. Had he shown more fire and personal 

 force he might perhaps have made a deeper impres- 

 sion. As it was, the address seemed mainly a matter 

 of military and political theory, not apparently a call 

 to arms, although war between Germany and England 

 would be certain to follow its general acceptance by 

 either. 



' For fuller discussion of this matter see "Democracy and World Relations," 

 Chapter iv. 



» See Chapter XLV, page 554. 



C 417 3 



