"You do not," Chris answered, "corrupt the children of the survivors for centuries to come. No." He meditated a moment. "If the salt of the earth shall lose its savor, wherewith shall ye resavor it?"
Sopho said, "If changing man's environment will not change the evil of war—"
"Evil?" Chris repeated questioningly. "But does not man always believe his wars are just? Whatever cause—whichever side?"
Sopho ignored the inquiry. "—how do we change man?"
"Love one another," Chris said.
A slow smile came upon the physicist's face. "We should have loved the Nazis? And love the Jap who lies ahead?"
"Of course." Chris nodded soberly. "If you had loved them, you would never have let them sink into the pit of their despair—arm—turn upon yourselves. Had you loved them, you would have assisted them—before you were compelled to restrain them by such violence."
"The rights of nations—" Sopho began.
"—exist in the minds of men. You did not love them. You loved yourselves. You saw torment born in them all, and saw it grow, and feared it—and stood, like any Pharisee, reciting your virtues but not lifting a finger to assist them."
"He's right." Learned shook his head ruefully. "How right he is!"