the Belgians against us, and therefore it is she who must answer for all the misery which has been visited upon that poor country.  Had it been our responsibility, not a single hair of a Belgian’s head should have been harmed.  If, then, the Belgian wrongs like those of Servia are only the flimsiest pretexts for Great Britain’s declaration of war against us, there remains, unfortunately, no other reason for this declaration of war save the intention of your statesmen either to destroy us or so to weaken us that Great Britain will rule supreme on the seas and in all distant parts of the world.  This intention you personally deny and thus far I must take your word for it.  But do you deny it also for your Government?  That you cannot do, for the facts have been brought to light; when Great Britain determined to join the coalition of Russia with France, which is ruled by Russia, when it put aside all the differences that stood between her and Russia, when it set upon us not only the hordes of Russia but the scrupulous Japanese, “the yellow peril,” and called upon all Europe, when it also sunk in the ocean its duties to European culture—­for all of that there is but one explanation:  England believes that the hour for our destruction has struck.  Why does she wish to destroy us?  Because she will not endure our power, our zeal, our perfection of growth!  There is no other explanation!

Lifting Humanity.

We and Great Britain in alliance with America were able in peaceful co-operation to lift humanity to a higher plane, and to lead the world in peace, allowing to each his rights.  We Germans, now know no, and have never known any, higher ideal than this.  In order to realize this ideal the German Kaiser and the German people have made many sacrifices in the past 43 years.  In proportion to the development of our strength, we should be able to lay claim to more territory than we now possess in the world.  But we have never attempted to force this claim.  We held that the strength of our nation should be in its zeal and in the peaceful fruits of that zeal.  Great Britain has begrudged us that; she has been jealous of our powers, jealous of our fleet, jealous of our industries and our commerce, and jealousy is the root of all evil.  Jealousy it is which has driven Great Britain into the most fearful war which history knows and the end of which is unforseen.

What course is open to you, gentlemen, once you are enlightened as to the policy of your country?  In the name of our Christian culture, which your Government has frivolously placed in jeopardy, I can offer you but one counsel:  To burden your consciences no longer with Servia and Belgium, which you must protect, but to face about and stop your Government in its headlong course; it may not be too late.  As far as we Germans are concerned, our way is clearly indicated, though not so our fate.  Should we fall, which God and our strong arm prevent, then there sinks with