Tremendous military power and highly developed diplomatic ability are the two necessary elements to create friendly relations with her neighbors.  After the creation of the great German Empire in 1870, Prince Bismarck succeeded in establishing and maintaining for Germany friendly relations with the other great powers.  It was his policy to acquire colonies for Germany outside of Europe, and to carefully avoid any territorial encroachments on the neighboring States.  He sounded his warning to his countrymen not to try to increase German territory at the expense of Russian territory.

Germany’s colonial acquisitions created a new era in her policy, and, if I may be permitted to so express myself, changed completely the face of the German Empire.  The protection and development of her colonial possessions and her commerce required a strong navy.  England’s competition of the commerce controlled by Germany started the tremendous growth of England’s naval power, and gave Germany second place.  Her rivalry with England compelled Germany to increase her army, too, and we observed how from a quiet, inoffensive, modest State Germany gradually became very strong and endeavored to play the first violin in the concert not only of all Europe, but also of the whole world.  Such seems to be the fate of all nations that acquire sudden power—­they get conceited and aggressive.

The political events of the last ten years prove sufficiently the aggressiveness of the German policy—­the events at Agadir, the annexation of Bosnia and Herzegovina by Austria, the ultimatum sent by the latter to Servia are only passing instances in the growing conceit of the German policy.  It should be remembered that in March, 1909, Chancellor von Buelow announced to the German Reichstag that Germany would support Austria in her annexation of Bosnia and Herzegovina by force, even if the whole of Europe were to oppose it.

Europe at that time did not oppose the Germans, but it seems to me that just then Europe began to realize how dangerous and unsafe it was to have in the heart of that Continent a power with such bellicose and driving intentions.  Her political acts were too uncanny and alarmed the whole of Europe, which began to seek ways and means to get rid of this German hegemony, coupled with its rough militarism and unscrupulous ways of acting.

The military and economical developments of Germany induced her to go further in her tendency to enlarge her territory.  Emperor William feels that his empire is not big enough to suit his ambition and for the part which he intends to play in Europe.  He therefore endeavors to enter into an agreement with the heir of the Austrian throne, Franz Ferdinand, a man of great energy and wide political views, to the effect to mold out of Austria an exclusive Slavish power and to surrender to Germany the Archduchy of Austria with Vienna and Tyrol, and annex Servia to Austria.