iculous by the press and
as too shameless by the public.

Should the Germans, who, since the time when they fought for and
attained their national unity, have exclusively devoted themselves to
works of peace and culture, suddenly have been transformed into an
adventurous, booty-hungry horde which from mere lust challenged a
tremendously superior force to do battle? Should they suddenly have
sacrificed to their so-called militarism all their other efforts in
commerce, industry, art, and science, in order to risk their very
existence for the love of this Moloch? Do you believe that, Americans?

*Question of Militarism.*

Our militarism! What does this expression, quoted until it is sickening,
mean in the mouth of enemies who in respect of the energy and extent of
their armaments were not behind us? Is there no such thing as militarism
in France and in Russia? Is the English giant fleet an instrument of
peace? Was the Triple Entente founded in order to bring about the
millennium on earth? Would the Entente, if we had been foolish enough to
disarm, have guaranteed our possessions as a reward for being good? Do
you believe that, Americans?

It certainly may be difficult for the citizens of the Union--happy
beings they are for it--to put themselves in the place of a nation that
knows it is surrounded on its open borders by jealous, hateful, and
greedy neighbors; of a country that for centuries has been the
battlefield of all European wars, the place of strife of all the
European peoples. They, the members of a nation which for itself
occupies a space nearly as large as Europe, almost half of a continent,
protected on both sides by the ocean and on the other borders not
seriously threatened for as long a time to come as may be anticipated,
have no people's army because they do not need any; and yet they
would--their history proves it--give their blood and that of their sons
for the cause of their nation just as gladly as we, if the necessity for
doing so came to them. Will they, therefore, reproach us for loving our
country not less than they do theirs, only for the reason that we have a
thousand times more difficulty in protecting it?

Our general military service, which today is being defamed by the word
"militarism," is born of the iron commandment of self-preservation.
Without it the German Empire and the German Nation long ago would have
been struck out of the list of the living. Only lack of knowledge or
intentio