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.

Franz Ferdinand could afford to agree to this plan most readily, because
he knew that Austria in her present state could not continue her
existence, as she was on the brink of an insurrection of 25,000,000
Austrian Slavs against the continuance of a Government over them of
9,000,000 Austrian Germans. There is no doubt that this question was
fully discussed at the conference at Konopish, where the German Emperor,
accompanied by Admiral von Tirpitz, went to pay a visit to Franz
Ferdinand one month before the latter was assassinated.

The tragedy of Serajevo found Germany after a course of action already
had been agreed upon, and the sending of the ultimatum by Austria to
Servia can be explained only by the desire of the two nations to fully
complete their preparations.

Now, why do we find at this important moment of the world's history such
opposition not only against Germany but also an upheaval of other
nations?

The German press of the United States endeavors to prove that the
underlying reason for the struggle is the eventual triumph in Europe
either of Teutonic or Slavish civilization, and denounces Russian
barbarism and extols German culture.

I will not discuss the respective merits of Teutonic and Slavic culture
and civilization, as in