"Since this beginning that has been the consistent German viewpoint, and
increasingly so. The glorification of the State has included, of
necessity, the sacrifice of the individual, and this has been conducted
ruthlessly in Germany itself.
"Of course the State which considers it right to sacrifice the
individuals of its own citizenship will be sure to consider it right to
sacrifice the individuals of other nations' citizenships.
"That explains why international law never has been considered binding
by the German; it explains why international law was not considered
binding when Belgium stood in the path of Germany's march toward Paris.
"International law never has bound the German; it never will bind him
until he changes his national psychology.
"Ihering, one of Germany's greatest theoretical jurists and a scholar in
the matter of Roman law, declared, 'Right is the child of might.' He did
not say exactly that right is might, but he defined it as 'the child of
might.'
"That may be taken as the German keynote, for this man is of such great
influence in Germany that his utterances must have an enormous effect.
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