“Two years ago I’d have agreed. Now, I’m not quite so sure I do believe that is possible in our vision. However, for the sake of argument, go on.”
“What is war? Competition. Competition of what? Of rival nationalities. Seeking what? Commercial aggrandizement—subjecting the many to benefit the few. America, Germany, England, France have been at war with each other commercially one hundred years. War is only a commercial ultimatum, when a commercial tariff is too slow. The trouble is, men are guided by their sentiments to think nationally, instead of by their logic to conceive of themselves as a world race.”
“You are a Jew, of course, Magnus?”
“I am.”
“And proud of the history of your race?”
“I am exceedingly proud.”
“And rightfully. It is a wonderful race. But if it had been guided by such theories as you now profess, it would have disappeared centuries ago, like a drop of ink in a barrel of water. Racial solidarity has been the immortality of you Jews, and sometimes—no offence, Magnus—I’m inclined to believe that the instinct that moves many of your brilliant race into Socialism is a contempt of mere national definitions which in your own world-solidarity have no meaning to you.”
“The Jewish race is not socialistic,” said Magnus, with a note of impatience.
“It is increasingly so, and most of its intellectuals are.”
“It was not a Jew, but William Lloyd Garrison, who said ‘Our Country is the world.’”