roken in a
steeplechase. This taciturn, soured individual, on the outbreak
of war, was given a place as commander of a village way station
near the West Front, where his cruelties to the French inhabitants
will long be remembered.

Food is very simple. The family drink beer except on great
occasions, but the Baron drinks Moselle at the midday meal and a
red wine in the evening. The recreation is shooting and visits to
the neighbours.

Such a visit is a great event, arranged by letter beforehand. The
von Lachnows drive to visit the von Seltows eighteen miles away.
They arrive in time for lunch, when much wine is drunk. After
this the women gossip over their fancy work and the men visit the
stable, discuss crop prices and inspect the host's collection of
horse flesh. The family photographs are inspected and Count
Reventlow's latest article abusing the Americans is discussed and
the belief suggested that a democratic people without King or
Kaiser or nobility cannot be organised for war. The Social
Democrats are condemned and the story gleefully told of how the
son of von Seltow cut down a Social Democrat who was slow in
getting out of his way.

I can understand the feelings of the von Lachnows, the imaginary,
typical Prussian family of the ruling class which I have
pictured for you. If Germany should be democratised, what place
would be left for them? The offices of the government thrown open
to all classes in fair elections, places in the army and navy and
diplomacy open to competition in great academies like West Point
and Annapolis. Deprived of the aroma of power given now by
diplomatic or military place and noble birth in the caste system,
the sons and daughters could no longer make rich marriages with
the sons and daughters of the rich business men and manufacturers.
No more would the civil offices of Prussia be open only to
appointments among the noble or Junker class.

I do not blame the von Lachnows because they fight tooth and nail
for the retention of their old privileges--because they endeavour
to hold the common people in a serfdom almost as complete as that
of the Dark Ages. The dawn of constitutional government will be
their twilight, the twilight of the Gods of militarism, of
privilege, and of caste. Prussian autocracy made the war in a
last desperate endeavour to bribe the people into continued
submission.

The only excuse for the existence of the Prussian ruling class
to-day, as much out of place