The French have burned more gunpowder than any other nation in Europe, and they're a fighting race.

It would appear now that the Terrible Year, 1870, was merely an aggregation of mistakes, and did not represent either the wisdom or natural genius of the nation." "That is, the French were then far below normal, as we would say, but have now returned to their best, and that the two Kaisers made the mistake of thinking the French in their lowest form were the French in their usual form ?" "It may be so," said Weber, thoughtfully.

"Nations reckon their strength in peace, but only war itself discloses the fact.

Evidently tremendous miscalculations have been made by somebody." "By somebody?
By whom?
That's why I'm against the Kaisers and all the secret business of the military monarchies.

War made over night by a dozen men! a third of the world's population plunged into battle! and the rest drawn into the suffering some way or other! I don't like a lot of your European ways." Weber shook his head.
"We've inherited kings," he said.