"The perversion of national sentiment into national arrogance has been
the definite, although, perhaps, unrealized and unintended, aim of every
educational influence which has been at work in Germany since 1870. It
has amounted to an unparalleled perversion of a nation's sentiment
toward all the outside world.
"This war marks the crisis of this German pride.
"Germany's course throughout has borne all the earmarks of a national
ego-mania. The whole German people, as a nation, not always, perhaps, as
individuals, have fallen victim to the most colossal attack of ego-mania
which the world ever has known.
"Combine this ego-mania with another delusion--the entirely unjustified
conclusion that Germany was the object of a worldwide persecution--and
it is unnecessary to search further for the causes of the war, just as
it is unnecessary to search further for reasons for the combination of
practically all other Europe against Germany.
"What would German victory mean to the world, if German victory came,
save the worldwide dominance of German egotism, imposed at the expense
of every other people? France would not escape, England would not
escape, and, I assure you, you, America, would not escape.
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