Before this took place Russia must bring about a European war.  The iron, which had been prepared with the help of the English military party, had to be forged, for never again would there be a moment so favorable for the complete destruction of Austria and the humiliation of Germany.  Servia was thrust to the front.  Russia’s Ambassador managed that wonderfully.  The fire was set in so skillful a manner that the incendiaries knew in advance there was no possibility of extinguishing it.  The conflagration must spread and soon blaze in all corners of Europe.

What was the use of a Peace Conference in such circumstances?  Conscious of the irresistible consequences of their action the real rulers of Russia sent forward their armies; it was now or never, if the work was to be done with the help of England.  And without England perhaps even France would not consent to join.

Thus it came about, and thus we have seen the peaceful policy of the German Emperor, which he has upheld for twenty-five years, completely wrecked.

We are now fighting not only for our Fatherland, but also for the emancipation of our culture from a menace that has become insupportable.

Yours faithfully,

TH.  NIEMEYER,

Kaiser Wilhelm Professor, Columbia University.

Comment by Dr. Max Walter

To the letter addressed by Prof.  Th.  Niemeyer to the editor of The New Yorker Staats-Zeitung (see No. 237, 3, 2, of Frankfurter Zeitung) I should like to add the following remarks:  During my activity as Professor of the Methodics of Foreign Language Teaching at Teachers College, Columbia University, New York, (January-June, 1911,) I was introduced to Mr. Andrew Carnegie, with whom I had a long interview.  He expressed his views upon the peace question and arbitration, and spoke for a long time about the German Emperor who had repeatedly received him during his visits to Germany.  He expressed his great appreciation of the important services rendered by our Emperor for the maintenance of peace, and declared that he, above all others, deserved the title of the Peace-loving Monarch, (Friedensfuerst.) To him it was chiefly due that, during the various crises which had repeatedly brought Europe to the brink of war, the disaster had again and again been averted.  The German Emperor, he considered, looked upon it as his chief pride that no war should take place during his reign, that Germany should develop and prosper in peaceful emulation with other countries, and his greatest desire was that other nations should recognize ungrudgingly that all Germany did to raise the moral and ethical standard of mankind was for the benefit of all.

If now Carnegie has really declared, as this letter maintains, that he considers the German Emperor the “Disturber of Peace,” it shows clearly how baleful the influence of the English press has been—­that it could shake such a firm conviction in our Emperor’s love of peace.  Let us hope that this letter of Prof.  Niemeyer’s and other explanations to the same effect will induce him to recognize the horrible misrepresentations of English papers and to return to his former conviction.