CHAPTER XXI
THE WORLD-WAR AND THE GERMAN PEOPLE
Since the publication of the Austrian documents the whole world is agreed that the action of the potentates of Germany who launched the war was unspeakably wanton, short-sighted and reckless. Only the moral qualities of the guilty parties are still in dispute. This question is important in judging of the persons, not of the institutions. Whatever the moral verdict may be—after taking cognizance of the German documents, there should not be much dispute about it—it has long been possible to find a political verdict. It condemns the subjection of civil authority to military force and passes sentence on the Monarchy.
We have already remarked in dealing with the Szögyeny case that an idiot as leading statesman is more dangerous for the community than a scoundrel.
No constitution, however elaborately devised, no democracy, no Soviet system, nor any aristocracy, not even one of philosophers on the Platonic model, can prevent scoundrels from getting to the head of the State. But with every kind of constitution, whether of a State, of a political party, a commune, a church, or other organization the leadership of which is entrusted only to men who have won the general confidence of those concerned, a rascal can only get to the top
through great services rendered to the community,
