[Footnote 3:  Speech in Reichstag, London Times, Dec. 11, 1900, p. 5, col. 1.]

The possibility of mediation with Germany in the role of mediator was shown to have been made conditional upon the acceptance of such a step by both the parties to the contest, as otherwise it would not have been mediation but intervention, with the ultimate possibility of the exercise of force for the purpose of stopping the hostilities.  Intervention of that kind, involving the idea of coercion, was never considered by the German Government because of the general situation of the world and of special German interests.  The idea of anything other than entirely peaceful and friendly intervention was not entertained by any power in considering the situation in South Africa.  The German Chancellor declared that “even those Powers which academically ventilated the idea of peaceful mediation invariably and expressly laid stress upon the fact that they had no thought or intention of forcing England to accept peace against her will.”  He asserted that the possibility of mediation was thus excluded since the preliminary condition of such a course was the consent of both parties to the conflict.

Count Von Buelow also called attention to the fact that the gentlest form of diplomatic inquiry made by the United States had been rejected by the English Government “officially and categorically in the most distinct manner possible.”  And speaking officially, he continued, “We therefore did what we could as a neutral Power and without imperilling direct German interests in order to prevent the outbreak of war.  In particular we acted in the most straightforward manner toward the governments of the South African Republics inasmuch as from the first and in good time we left them in no doubt regarding the situation in Europe and also regarding our own neutrality in the event of war in South Africa.  In both these regards we made matters clear to the two South African Republics and did so in good time."[4] The Chancellor seems to have fairly defined the position maintained by the German Government throughout the war, although popular feeling often clamored for official action in behalf of the Boers.

[Footnote 4:  Speech in Reichstag, Dec. 10, 1900.]

A similar course was pursued by the French Government despite the fact that in France popular sympathy was more strongly in favor of the Transvaal than was the case in Germany.  No official action, however, was taken which could involve France in complications in view of the declared neutral attitude assumed at the beginning of the war.  The administration at Paris ordered the prefects throughout the country to have removed from the official minutes the resolutions of sympathy for the Boers which had been adopted by the provincial councils.  But opposed to the correct attitude of the Government, popular feeling was manifested in different ways.  A committee of ladies in Paris made a direct appeal to the French people.  They