WORLD-POPULATION AND NATIONALISM 101 
the recent war has also shown that they may be 
terrible.” Every student of the possibilities of future 
wars realises that the dangers that threaten mankind 
in future wars are ghastly. 
Clearly it makes all the difference whether the 
purpose behind nationality is solely egoistic, or is not 
so. Inherently nationality is not necessarily detri- 
mental to humanity and to the life of larger numbers on 
earth. But nationalism, which is the expression of a 
system of economics, intended to exploit all chances, 
irrespective of the humanity of so doing, and is more- 
over the organisation of power in order to ensure the 
success of such a system, regardless of its incidence, 
can have no place in the hearts of those who hope for 
the betterment of mankind, and hope that peace on 
earth may yet be attained. 
That attitude on the part of a people which is con- 
sistent with, or makes it sympathetic with, the genuine 
advances of other peoples, creates possibilities of inter- 
national goodwill, and gives birth to the sense of an 
international solidarity. Man has acquired and is still 
acquiring such knowledge that, organised for maleficent 
ends, he can become more and more an enemy to his 
fellows. His destructive powers are already very 
terrible, and can wreck in moments the labour of years 
and even of centuries. The facility with which he 
can injure the human organism and destroy life is 
enormously developed, hence knowledge is a potential 
power for evil as well as good. If organised for 
beneficent ends, it is solely a power for good. The 
reactions certainly seem to be, in this latter direction, 
less powerful, but they lead to a higher culture of the 
spirit of humanity—a higher civilisation. Difficulties 
as between nation and nation tend then, and then 
only, to disappear, and it becomes possible for man to 
multiply and replenish the face of the earth, with joy, 
or rather well-being, for all.