g's appearance.

Gard gathered the following for his notebook. The Buchers maintained
that, even if the Hohenzollerns were not wanted, they were necessary
to hold Germany together. Otherwise she would split up into many
impotent states and be at the mercy of the solidary races adjoining
her. But who could not want the Hohenzollerns? They had made of
Germany--really a small, poor country--a mighty power. Look at huge
America, by contrast! She was weak, disorganized, aimless. She was
the proverbial giant with few bones. The western half of the United
States was still practically undeveloped, and yet it abounded in
natural wealth.

Then there was the Monroe Doctrine. It was a baseless fiat for which
there was no legal or moral justification--as arrogant a presumption
as could be claimed of any edict of a Kaiser. The Buchers asserted
that the Doctrine was a crime against humanity. It had kept, for a
hundred years, South America and Central America indifferently
civilized, miserably governed, their thin populations uneducated,
thriftless, superstitious, bigoted. Said the Herr:

"If our Germany had had full access to that half hemisphere it would
be in a full blaze of progress. It would be affording prosperous
homes to untold millions of Europeans now packed together like
sardines. The mines, forests, rich soils, grazing lands, would have
long ago been completely opened up, tilled, occupied, for the
benefit of man who is still, in the main, inadequately fed and
clothed. We Germans can, admittedly, manufacture cheaper and better
goods than anyone. We ought to be free in our way and by our own
methods to supply those Americas with the necessities and comforts
of civilization and make them rich and happy.

"Their mongrel races are poverty stricken, disease stricken, and
often fighting among themselves. The United States does little for
them. Nor will she let anyone else. She plays the dog in the manger
to the detriment of the world. And this is because she is vain,
timid and without plan. Is that logical, wise and serving mankind
for the best? Were conditions reversed, would she herself favor such
a backward, lagging programme?"

Kirtley admitted to himself that this was a very good and valid
point of view for Germans. He recognized its general source, for the
Buchers, in the Dresden newspapers. But he did not enter into
argument. He had satisfied himself that argument with Teutons, who
do not have open minds, who are obs