“Brothers!  Sisters! such an hour has come that the history of the world has never witnessed before.  In the struggle which now begins—­a deadly grapple frivolously conjured up by Russia’s monarch—­the whole earth will groan.  The German people, however, will prove that it is worthy to retain and develop its leading place in the intellectual and cultural progress of the world.  Our enemy envies us this position because in his land, stupidity and confusion reign supreme; his own uncivilization and barbarism cannot be rooted out.

“We will prevent him from throwing Europe back to the conditions in which he and his likes dwell.  May God grant that the civilized peoples of Europe may have true understanding for this historic hour, just as their heroic ancestors understood the danger when they hurled themselves against the invasions of the Mongols.

“First of all the German nation will march against the armies of the East, and, hand in hand with our ally, we hope will so grip the enemy that he will lose all desire ever to attack us again."[17]

[Footnote 17:  Muenchen-Augsburger Abendzeitung, August 2nd.]

The last lines of this perfervid article, give an instructive clue.  A mere quibble had arisen between the Central Powers and Russia.  The former immediately adopted an arrogant, even threatening, attitude which thoughtful Germans condemned.  Russia’s willingness to submit the question to an arbitration conference consisting of four neutral ambassadors seems only to have intensified Teutonic lust to humiliate the opponent.  In any case, it is interesting to note that between July 24th and 31st the whole German nation had been converted to the uncompromising attitude of the Government.

Further, it is evident that the German people believed they were about to march against Russia.  The very last remark which I heard from German lips as we entered the train to leave Erlangen on July 31st was:  “Jetzt werden die Russen abgekloepft.” ("Now the Russians will get a whacking.")[18]

[Footnote 18:  We left Erlangen at 3.30 p.m.  Martial law had been proclaimed some time previous to that.  But the proclamation in Berlin occurred at 3.30 p.m. on the same day.  The Berliner Abendblatt published on the same evening states that the Kaiser had been waiting and hoping for a peaceful answer from Russia.  The Bavarian authorities could not have taken so serious a step without an order from the Highest War Lord, which leads to the conclusion that it was a device to get military preparation well under way.]

The Berlin cabinet mobilized Germany’s armed strength, as they alleged, against Russia, and the Government succeeded in arousing and enlisting national enthusiasm against the Eastern neighbour.  Yet when the time came to strike, Germany’s might was hurled against neutral Belgium and unwilling France, while Russia was left free to overrun the Eastern part of Germany.  The blood-guilt rests in the first place with the Kaiser and his Government, and in the second place (although in no less a degree) with the German people, because they condoned the crime and acquiesced in the duplicity.