uch auspices, at the instigation of the
"Champion of Liberty," was established the most tyrannical despotism
of modern times. Under such auspices was consummated the unholy
alliance between a "reformed" Germany and a twice "reformed"
Hohenzollern Monarchy.

This unholy alliance has been shattered by the war. And with the
alliance will vanish the Lutheran creed, with all the evil works that
proceeded therefrom.

For four hundred years the German people have followed their
preachers, and have been led by them to the abyss, even as in the
famous ballad of Burger the German maiden Lenore has fallen under the
spell of a corpse and has been driven to the gates of hell.

For four hundred years the German people have been in the grip of
their despots. They will be under the spell no more.

For four hundred years the German masses have practised the three
theological virtues of Faith, Patience, and Obedience. The
long-suffering, docile, and servile Teutons are now ready to surrender
to the original sin of rebellion. They are now ready to revert to the
methods followed by the peasants massacred by the orders of Luther.

For four hundred years their temporal and spiritual rulers have
manufactured a nation of slaves. The war has manufactured a nation of
revolutionists. What seemed an inexhaustible inheritance of loyalty
and devotion has been wantonly squandered. The Hohenzollern Monarchy
has been born in spoliation, baptized in blood, and welded together by
iron. Blood and iron are now destroying it. The German armies have
been the terror of the world. The day is drawing near when those same
German armies will become a terror to their tyrants, and will call
them to account for the slaughter of twenty nations.

CHAPTER XVIII

VIA PACIS

Whatever excellent reasons we may have for doubting the sincerity of
the German peace overtures, and whatever grounds we may have for
criticizing the unfortunate wording of the American Notes, it must be
conceded that President Wilson has rendered a conspicuous service to
the Allies by compelling them to face the formidable difficulties of
the problem of peace. Henceforth it will be impossible for our rulers
to shirk those difficulties. They will have to give us something more
tangible than mere vague and solemn abstractions, than mere rhetorical
phrases and catchwords: they will have to depend on the support of
public opinion. The peace settlement will have to be made by the
natio