m to
"accelerate" this work. Krupps also pay the expenses of the
"Oversea Service" which is feeding news to America.

A paper against annexation of Belgium has been signed, I am told,
by Dernburg, Prince Hatzfeld and others, and will be presented to
the Chancellor to-day. I believe many are to sign it; but of
those who have signed are Hatzfeld, who is one of the three big
Dukes of Prussia; Prince Henckel-Donnersmarck, who is the second
richest subject in Germany--(85 years old, he was in 1870 first
Governor of Lorraine)--von Harrach, who is a man of great
ability, highly respected, as is also Professor Delbrueck.

* * * * *

The Reichstag meets in a few days. The Socialists are holding
daily caucuses, but have not yet decided on any party action.
Undoubtedly they will vote for the new ten milliard loan, with
Liebknecht and a few others dissenting. Probably a split will
also develop in the National Liberal Party; Bassermann and others
have been attacking the Chancellor, but I think other members
will dissent. It is quite probable that there will be a
discussion about the _object_ of the war, and permission will be
asked for public discussion, the Socialists perhaps claiming that
they have consented to a defensive war only, and that now that
the war is on enemy territory peace should be at least discussed.
There may also be talk about the annexation of Belgium and food
prices. The Socialists are greatly incensed at those who are
holding food for high prices.

* * * * *

Personally, I think that Germany now wants peace but does not
want to say so openly.

A relative of a Field Marshal told me to-day that Germany's
killed to date were 600,000 and 200,000 crippled for life.

I must say that the plain people still seem perfectly tame and
ready to continue the war. However, there may also be a protest
in the Reichstag about the treatment by non-commissioned officers
of Landsturm men who have never served but who now, in the
process of scraping the box, are called to the colors.

The Germans hope by a great movement to capture a great part of
the Russian army; probably they will fail. They also entertain
hopes that in such case Sweden will enter Finland and two Balkan
States declare for them. Balkan Ministers here tell me the defeat
of Russia makes it impossible for Roumania to enter, but they
fear an invasion by the Germans. All diplomatic work is now
c