make them believe that those who impose it upon us are our enemies so
that they may feel the necessity of defending themselves. Only superior
minds reach the conviction of the great advancement that can be
accomplished by the sword alone, and that war, as our grand Treitschke
says, is the highest form of progress."

Again he smiled with a ferocious expression. Morality, from his point of
view, should exist among individuals only to make them more obedient
and disciplined, for morality per se impedes governments and should be
suppressed as a useless obstacle. For the State there exists neither
truth nor falsehood; it only recognizes the utility of things. The
glorious Bismarck, in order to consummate the war with France, the base
of German grandeur, had not hesitated to falsify a telegraphic despatch.

"And remember, that he is the most glorious hero of our time! History
looks leniently upon his heroic feat. Who would accuse the one who
triumphs? . . . Professor Hans Delbruck has written with reason,
'Blessed be the hand that falsified the telegram of Ems!'"

It was convenient to have the war break out immediately, in order that
events might result favorably for Germany, whose enemies are totally
unprepared. Preventive war was recommended by General Bernhardi and
other illustrious patriots. It would be dangerous indeed to defer the
declaration of war until the enemies had fortified themselves so that
they should be the ones to make war. Besides, to the Germans what kind
of deterrents could law and other fictions invented by weak nations
possibly be? . . . No; they had the Power, and Power creates new laws.
If they proved to be the victors, History would not investigate too
closely the means by which they had conquered. It was Germany that was
going to win, and the priests of all cults would finally sanctify with