Peter the Hermit
"Dieu le Veult!"
The Prussian outdoes the world in his single-minded devotion to
physical things. He believes and frankly declares that mercy and
honor weaken human power, that if you consider them you must
eventually fall before the strong who disregard them. Germany's attempt
to prove the soundness of the Prussian thesis has gradually loosened
the moral consciousness of the world. It has gathered to defend
the things of the spirit in what is as truly a crusade as that which Peter
the Hermit led, a crusade to preserve the sanctity of contract, the few
laws between nations that men have worked out, the right of the weak
to their chance. Germany, disbelieving in the strength that love of mercy
and of honor give men, cannot counter-attack in kind. Every day develops
more clearly that the weak place in the Prussian armor is its indifference
to moral considerations.
IDA M. TARBELL.
